Why would anyone chose to worship the devil?

I would think someone has to have a rebellious nature to choose to worship the devil.

He did take on the most powerful guy in the universe. Whatever his motivation that would deserve at least some respect.

People worship all kinds of things. They may as well worship the devil too.

I know two people who do so because they see God as a monarch and Lucifer was trying to release the universe from the hold of and the bidding of one entity.

@King_Pariah that’s interesting, and makes sense to some degree.

The symbolism of the antisocial individual. You choose it to show you don’t belong to society and don’t go by social standards. Most likely you feel rejected and you don’t fit in, and so you find yourself rallying around a symbol of anti-ness. If you can’t fit in, you might as well glorify fitting out.

That’s just sad. Unhelpful answer, but true.

To like, you know, fight the power man.

Or they have daddy issues.

It’s a really good question! Do those who worship the devil actually believe in him? And if so, do they really believe in God? Why would someone chose to worship evil if they believe it will mean an eternity of suffering after they die?

@ANef_is_Enuf I am sure that rebelliosness must be part of it. It’s not the easy road in this society.

@poisonedantidote You have some good points there. Thanks.

@King_Pariah That’s truly interesting. I can see that viewpoint. Not swayed by it, but it does carry some logic if one believes in the two supernatural forces.

@ANef_is_Enuf Great Answer. I suspect that many that take such a stand don’t really believe in God or a Devil, but act out in oposition of the pull of genteel society around them.

@Luiveton Even when an answer is sad and disturbing, if it’s true, it’s a helpful answer in my eyes.

@Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard I guess.

@Dutchess_III It is curious, isn’t it?

Yes, it is..unless they don’t really, truly, honestly believe in either God or the Devil.

If you give your dark side priority you will naturally worship the Lord of Darkness.

I do think there is something to the literary tragic-hero nature that Satan has kind of adopted thanks to Paradise Lost and subsequent works that portray him in an almost sympathetic light whether intentionally or not. I think that a lot of people are naturally drawn to the free-wheeling kind of chaotic heroism that this version of Satan represents.

@Dutchess_III I suspect you are right.

@flutherother Said like a true Jedi Master.

@Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard I suppose so. Thanks.

@ETpro Indeed my son the dark side powerful it is.

References in literature make me think that some people may believe there is such a creature, and might think Satan will give them what they want (power, wealth, sexual dominance) in exchange for whatever currency they believe Satan might find useful. The argument is that these people decide that acquiring what they want in the short term is more important than the long-term consequences, or choose to believe that they can somehow game the system when they are finished enjoying their “rewards”.

I have no idea if this is a valid argument and such people really exist, or that this is just a literary construct.

Luciferianism, for example, deals with worshiping what the Devil was before becoming the Devil. The worshipers follow what that angel once was, who was God’s right hand man in other words. They follow and practice whatever ideals he had, before he was all corrupted. Although some also worship the corruption aspect. Either way, it’s a form of motivation and inspiration for good. If God wasn’t so conceited, He probbaly wouldn’t have a problem with people worshiping Lucifer.
There are also some beliefs that God is actually evil and the Devil good. I forgot the name. Maybe some deists also worship the Devil, if the latter is presented along with the idea that God made existence and let it to fend on its own.

Although if you ask me, most modern forms of Satanism are used as social shock value, just like Laveyan Satanism. I think there’s an answer in that somewhere…Rebellion, wanting to be different, trying to find one’s place, stuff as such. I’m not entirely sure how much one’s social aspiration relates to truer beliefs though, especially in older times where you got your head cut off for looking at a priest the wrong way.

I was a self proclaimed Satanist in my younger years, mostly derived from Lavayan Satanism, just so I could stand out and be someone. It’s only later that I found out that this set of philosophies is as hypocritical as the Christians they blame of hypocrisy lol, and that which forms most of its basis. Anton has a point indeed, a very good one. We’re not human without what God condemns. But we can’t do what Lavey says we should, either. If I smash the face of everyone who smites me, I’d be in jail fast. I cannot hold my opinion unless it is asked of me, no one can. It’s so weird how different beliefs that are linked together (God and Satan) are adopted for such different reasons. Not speaking for anyone but through my own experience and feelings at the time, but maybe it’s worth a little something for this question.
Maybe it’s like that with other forms of Satanism. On the other hand, when you look at the teachings of The Bible and its severity, God isn’t a very ideal being to follow. Satan does sound a lot more fun, minus the soul eating shit.

Why not?

Because, @Simone_De_Beauvoir, either they really believe or they’re just playing. If they claim to really believe then they believe it’s eternity they’re playing with. If they don’t really believe, then the question “Why not” is a valid one, because they’re just goofing around.

@InTheZoneSound quite valid to me.

@Symbeline Interesting. I had not run across that form of Lucifer worship. I particularly appreciate the personal experience you revealed. You can speak with authority on at least one person’s reasons for once choosing that path.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir What @Dutchess_III siad. I was really getting at the question, do they actually believe, and if so, why?.

@ETpro Of course some people believe in the Devil. Like some people believe in God.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I get that. My point was the only way to come to a belief in the Devil is to first accept belief in God. Why then elect to worship the loosing side. If you believe the Bible (or other sacred text that posits a supreme good vs. a supreme evil) then you already know who wins.

@ETpro From what I understand, they don’t believe the Devil lost.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir OIC. Thanks.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Isn’t it somewhere along the lines that he’s down, but not out?

Since when is Pan a devil figure?

@incendiary_dan Perhaps Pan is considered to be pantheistic.

How did Peter get into this discussion?

Apparently, it is something they think about nearly constantly @Dutchess_III.

I’ve heard that about guys @bkcunningham!