Introduction

Throughout ages, Satanism has been feared by those who do not know the true nature of the different types, seeing as there are many versions of Satanism this can lead to confusing amongst the public. LaVeyan Satanism is often misrepresented in the media as a scapegoat for mass-murder, church burnings and “evil” rituals as it is often wrongly compared to other types of Satanism such as Demonolaters or Diabolators.

“It has been alleged that 10 per cent of the population of Britain are Satanists who conspire and are influenced by the Devil to corrupt and blaspheme against everything godly, good or socially valued.” This view is generally incorrect about the population and its connection with Satanism. For starters, the general public’s religious values are different as proposed, in the British census of 2001, 71.6% of people declared Christianity as their faith, 22.8% atheist or agnostic and only 0.3% described their religious views as “Other”. Although Satanism is not necessarily a religion, but instead a set of ideologies, it would be inferred that Satanists would register themselves as “other” on a census rather than atheistic/agnostic and it is unknown where the previous statement was originally sourced. [1]

There are seven types of Satanism widely accepted in the world. These are LaVeyan, Theistic, Orphidianic, Yezidi, Setian, Demonalators and Diabolators.

LaVeyan Satanism was founded, in 1966 on the night of May eve �" the traditional Witches’ Sabbath - by philosopher Anton LaVey. It does not describe worshipping a Devil figure as such, but, however, the worship of a person’s self as LaVeyan Satanists believe that humans have created their own God rather than a God creating the human being. LaVeyan Satanists’ tend to be focused on their own self-awareness and worship of themselves’. “As a radical rejection of the Christian culture, they are symbolically significant. Their very presence has contributed to the concern about Satanism in America.” [2]

Theistic Satanism is where members attempt to "to preserve and strengthen" their "isolate, psyche-centric existence" Satan is real to Theistic Satanists. Other characteristics of Theistic Satanism include the belief of the existence of magic.  

 Orphidianic Satanists believe that each Satanist is the sole creator of the universe he/she dwells in e.g. the most important thing for the individual is its own life. They believed that when the serpent tempted Adam and Eve he was really tempting them with truth and knowledge and thereby freed them from the authoritarian power of God.

Yezidis are from the Middle East, Muslims claim that Yezidis are heretics and they have a reputation of being devil worshippers because their other name of “Melek Taus Shaytan” is the same name in the Koran for Satan. The symbol for the Yezidi faith is “The Peacock Angel” which for others looking in (Must like the Christian icon of “The Fallen Angel”) is the Devil. The Yezidis have been subject to mass genocide across the Middle East because of their heritage. Over the course of the last 700 years, 23 million Yezidi people have been killed. Media is Western countries hardly ever mention Yezidi culture and the genocide in media and it is widely unheard of across the general public.  [3]

 The Temple of Set was founded in 1975. Setian’s are those who follow the priciples of the figure of Set, the Egyptian “Prince of Darkness” Set, however unlike in Theistic Satanism, is not worshipped as a God in Setian practice. Researchers Faxneld and Peterson (2012) found that in 2007, The Temple of Set had 200 members, which shows that there are not many Setians compared to other religions. (The 2011 census shows that 33.2million people are Christian in England and Wales.)

 Demonalators and Diabolators are set on causing mayhem and destruction. They are in smaller masses and are often those accountable for church burnings and devil worshipping.  These are the Satanists that are usually the basis of portrayal in Satanic-based horror movies as well as in heavy metal music.

I have come to the hypothesis that Satanism is represented negatively by the media because there has been prior research into the coverage of Satanism. Oxford University press explain that coverage of the Satanic Panic during the eighties and nineties had been characterised as “sensationalised” and “hysteric”. Newspapers such as the New York Times validated claims about Satanism that were “unfounded allegations.” [4] By the end of the 1980’s, most of the stories had been discredited but public opinion had been set, crime, teenagers and Satanism had become linked schemers in most people’s minds.