Anton Szandor LaVey on Aesthetics
Posted by Ben Jackson Fri, 23 Dec 2005 00:38:00 GMT
I was perusing the Church of Satan Website (no, I am not a Satanist, so let it drop) and stumbled upon this jewel at the end of The Nine Satanic Sins (emphasis mine):
9 - Lack of Aesthetics—This is the physical application of the Balance Factor. Aesthetics is important in Lesser Magic and should be cultivated. It is obvious that no one can collect any money off classical standards of beauty and form most of the time so they are discouraged in a consumer society, but an eye for beauty, for balance, is an essential Satanic tool and must be applied for greatest magical effectiveness. It’s not what’s supposed to be pleasing—it’s what is. Aesthetics is a personal thing, reflective of one’s own nature, but there are universally pleasing and harmonious configurations that should not be denied.
The whole list is a good read.
I looked at the authors biography...apparently he was a real wanker, and the Church of Satan is not a large organization with a long history or even doctrinal principle. So this list might have had other sources, as opposed to being anything like a doctrinal statement. Otherwise I'm in big trouble :-)
Haha! LaVey was, and AFAIK the Church continues to be, a pretty unsavory bunch. I wouldn't take any of their words without a few grains of salt.