“All we want […] is the freedom to create and entertain and share with each other, to preserve and cherish what we can while we can, and to build our own little citadels away from the insensitivities of the rest of the world.”

Anton Lavey

Someone unfamiliar with Satanism might be somewhat surprised to find that many Satanists value creativity highly, especially if one is coming at it from an Evangelical Christian angle. Many Evangelical Christians believe that creativity is a trait incompatible with Satanism because their God is the creator and Satan the destroyer. To the contrary, creativity is satanic in its very nature. One of the definitions for creativity is “the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, etc. to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations; originality, progressiveness, or imagination.”

As the mythological Satan rejected the tradition of blindly following and remaining subservient, Satanists reject traditions which have no meaning for them. We like to break the mold and do beyond the conventional – or at least shape convention to suit our own needs and desires.

Many people think of the arts when they think of creativity, and so it is unsurprising that many Satanists are artists in some shape or form. Art serves many purposes, and one of them is as an expression of the self. We value our originality, though sometimes that originality raises eyebrows. We try not to concern ourselves with the opinions of others; we do what we do and we like what we like because those are the things that make us happy. In addition to outlets of expression, art also serves to reveal truths those in control don’t want illuminated. Artwork that does this is often subject to extreme amounts of censorship, which ironically brings even more attention to those truths corrupt leaders want hidden. Satanists often have a tendency to utilize their creativity this way.

No matter how one uses their creativity, it is important to cultivate it carefully. Creativity isn’t just a personality trait, it’s a skill. Like any skill, it gets used or it gets lost. Much like a plant (or any living organism, really) the more attention one gives it, the more it will grow. Satanists put long hours into practicing the crafts in which their creativity manifests. The better they are at their crafts, the better they’re able to express themselves and expose those truths that need exposing.

Satanists aren’t overly humble concerning their creativity, either. It’s something they’re generally proud of, so they often showcase it whenever they have the opportunity. Social media is a great platform for that, and many (like myself) have blogs that serve as both outlet and portfolio. Some even sell their creations and make a living off of their creativity.

Whether they use their creativity to earn money or not, Satanists understand that in order to cherish their creativity properly they have to enjoy exercising it. It’s important to take a break when necessary and to be creative for creativity’s sake. There’s no point in creating if it’s not enjoyable, and if one only uses their creativity with an ulterior motive it gets tiresome. One quickly comes to resent their creativity. Taking on projects just for funsies without any deadlines or pressure is a great way to not only practice one’s creativity but make sure it stays enjoyable, too.