Satanic Citizenship Course
Various Christian denominations hold confirmation ceremonies where teenagers affirm their commitment and belief. At the NTOS we are developing a similar concept called a Satanic Citizenship Course for aspiring Satanists and we hope to begin delivering the program in 2021. The course will be designed for teenagers but a simplified and age-appropriate version will be available for Primary School children and will be offered as a part of our Religious Instruction program in State Primary Schools.
Introduction
The philosophy behind our curriculum is that Satanism can only be properly embraced where there is informed consent. This means that prospective Satanists need an awareness of certain information and a have a capacity to analyse and judge that information.
The information we will provide includes topics such as human evolution, religious history and major philosophical theories. It is important that if students are to embrace Satanism then they need to understand the doctrines of the faiths they are rejecting.
But it is not enough to provide information. We intend to instil in our students the capacity to sort through information and assess credibility and bias as well as the importance of consistent thinking and logical approaches to problem solving. There will be a heavy emphasis on media literacy and understanding how power is exercised overtly and covertly in our society.
Only after this preparatory phase, are students introduced to a detailed examination of Satanism. We will look at both religious and literary references to Satan. Our previous efforts to understand other religions will pay off in this section as Satan is so intimately intertwined with other religions that his identity, to some extent, derives from their interpretations.
We then get to the most rewarding and interesting part of the program where we look at the tenets of Satanism and how they compare to other moral codes and we attempt to apply Satanic morality to everyday situations.
Finally, if students decide to embrace Satanism then we discuss what type of Satanic activism would suit them at this particular time in life and potential leaders will be mentored as they take on leadership roles.
Subject Units
Humans – To understand human nature we need to understand how we evolved as a species and how that influences the type of moral code we might construct.
The Bible – For many people, the Bible prescribes ideal behaviour and morals. We look at who wrote the Bible, what morals the Bible recommends and whether they make sense?
Other Religions – We look at other religions, the principal texts, what the followers believe and whether faith is a virtue?
Philosophy – From Socrates to Post Modernism.
Critical thinking – We look at how to filter out misinformation by checking for bias and hidden agendas. Practical examples will be drawn from news reports on topics as varied as Covid-19, Vaccinations, and Chinese and American foreign policy.
Satan – Religious and literary understandings with an emphasis on the Book of Job.
Satanism – the tenets. Based on what we have learned in the preceding modules, do these tenets make sense?
Human Rights – We look at modern day conundrums and apply critical thinking to create a framework for formulating a satanic response.
Indulgence – Life should be fun and simple pleasures enjoyed. In this module we look at some simple life skills such as how to make good coffee, how to paint a still life, how to choose a bottle of wine, how to ask someone out on a date and how to be a great guest at a dinner party.
Commitment – Students are encouraged to consider if they want to be a Satanist and to reject Satanism if they cannot state clear rational reasons for being a Satanist.
Primary School Religious Instruction
As mentioned, the Satanic Citizenship class creates a framework for a simplified Religious Instruction (RI) class. The RI curriculum will look something like this:
Humans – We will compare creationism with the scientifically accepted theory of evolution. We will also examine how humans have evolved as social creatures and how co-operation rather than selfishness has led to our success as a species.
The Bible – We will explain that the Gospels were written long after the death of Jesus by people who did not even know him.
The Bible continued – We will introduce children to the Book of Job and the concept of Satan as a challenger to Christian faith.
Satan – We will outline the stories of Satan, both historical and literary and describe the different denominations within Satanism.
The Satanic Tenets – We will compare the Ten Commandments with the Satanic Tenets and discuss which is more moral. This will involve a discussion of morality and the different approaches to moral dilemmas.
Resources
On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
The Goodness Paradox by Richard Wrangham
This View of Life by David Sloan Wilson
The Invisible Hook by Peter T. Leeson
The Skeptics Annotated Bible by Steve Wells
Nailed by David Fitzgerald
The Documentary Film “Marketing the Messiah” by Cameron Reilly
Mohamed and the Unbelievers by Bill Warner
The Mormons by David Fitzgerald
Religions of the World by Breuilly and others
God is Not Great – Christopher Hitchens
The Quest for a Moral Compass by Kenan Malik
History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
The Satanic Bible by Anton LaVey
Paradise Lost by John Milton
The Shock Doctrine – By Naomi Klein
The Global Cold War by Odd Arne Westad
Justice by Michael sandel
Morality by Jonathan Sacks
After Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyre
