An American Satan

Interesting look at Lavey's Church of Satan with lots of interviews and a humorous although brief section dealing with the satanic panic era of the 1980s. I would've liked to have seen more about their beliefs explained, not just the basic "we do whatever we want" and "we don't sacrifice kids or animals" thing that gets repetitive here.

I want to know more about the celebrities who were involved, especially magazine publisher Forrest J. Ackerman who I did not know was involved.

The documentary itself is fine. They have a subject, film interviews & then the interviewees keep repeating edgy rebellious stuff. They never explain their beliefs properly, but sound more like they love finally being in a club & and you might not even be accepted into it. They are part of an exclusive club eventhough Satan himself could walk past and they would never recognize him, instead theyd shoo him away for jot being dark enough.

Want real Satanists? Look towards Mexico. Those are some real human sacrifices spines and skulls in pots, children screaming in agony but the evil smiles on the faces of the Satanists only grow as if they are reaching extasy.

As a former Satanist, I can say the reality of American Satanism is flawed at its core. Its whole concept is, do what you want and be who you want to be. Yet at the same time, they say, don't be this way, don't do that thing, don't believe like others, ONLY believe this way. So basically, don't do the things that WE as Satanists think are wrong. Yet they don't recognize how hypocritical that view is.

They want you to think they are so brooding, and dark, and mystical, and misunderstood. You can tell they just really love this self-aggrandizement of being in front of the camera, so much so that it just comes off as silly.

Some of the comments says, "It's a label I look for desperately." "It's a form of theatre," What is clear is that American Satanism is a belief for people desperate to be seen, desperate to be different, and willing to accept hypocritical silliness to do it.

Lavey was clearly a narcissist showman who wanted people to think he was special, and deep. So he got weak-minded people to follow him. I mean, come on, who wears a cape, fake horns, and satin shirts like that? He was just silly.