Religion and Drugs - Satanism

Satanism

LaVeyan Satanism expressly forbids drug use, both on medical grounds and because they are generally viewed as counter-productive. While LaVey accepted there was historical and anthropological evidence that drugs were used for religious and ritual magical purposes, they did not fit in his definition of magic as he saw it. In an interview with the Almede County Weekender in 1966, He said:

"LaVey, however, does not hesitate to point out that nothing narcotic is among the ingredients. In fact, the use of any narcotics has no place in magic as LaVey sees it. “It is true that drugs have been used in magic and in certain religious practices and still are by some,” he says. “The use of the peyote ritual in certain Indian churches—and which has been recently adjudged legal—is an example. But for our purposes the use of drugs would be definitely harmful.” How serious he is on this point is shown by his attitude on LSD. “Like opium, marijuana, heroin and so forth, it ought to be shunned like the plague”—"

In The Satanic Witch, LaVey argued:

“Let me state categorically at this point that drugs are antithetical to the practice of magic, as they tend to disassociate the user from reality, even though he oftentimes thinks himself closer.”

However, there are no prohibitions on alcohol or anything prescribed by a doctor to treat a medical condition.

Read more about this topic:  Religion And Drugs