Movements Today, Modern Cults, and Satanism
In the West, the Renaissance was a period of transition from the Middle Ages to the Modern Age. Under the very foundations of this movement lay a revolt against all that was holy, belittling every thought, philosophy, and value, alongside the claim that a person could create his or her "self." Nourished by scientific and technological advancement, this approach at the end of the nineteenth century led to the belief that there remained no problem that physics could not solve and maintained that having surpassed the stages of religion and metaphysics, humanity would no longer need religion.
Briefly defined as "the worship of Satan as if he were God," Satanism is the name given to a reaction that started in the 1880s in such countries as France, England, Germany, and more particularly in the USA, against Christianity, religious understanding, and the domination that Christian scholars have exercised from the Middle Ages on. The movement began to be systematized in the 1950s by the American-born Anton Szandor LaVey. Today, Satanism represents a rebellion against all religions – mainly Christianity – and the sacred values that they put forward. Thus Satanism, taking on the nature of Satan's most important characteristic, i.e opposition and rebellion, is opposed to religion and everything religious, and is for Satan and everything that he represents.
Many people today are looking for ways to rid themselves of feelings of chaos, turmoil, struggle, trouble, conflict, insincerity, egoism, the stress of the rat race, and untruthfulness in the world in an effort to live safely, peacefully, and happily. As they have realized that happiness is a spiritual and psychological experience that involves the soul, and that it cannot be attained through financial means, power, physical strength or beauty, or even science and art, they then seek different alternatives and remedies. In fact, God, who created human beings, has sent them divine books to prevent people from being led astray, and appointed prophets to guide them. However, there are times when people turn away from the divine message. In such instances, false beliefs step in; these false beliefs exploit people physically and spiritually, they lead to family problems, suicides, and mental illnesses, and they become a source of unhappiness instead of bliss. If some of these beliefs are not hindered and if people's needs are not properly met, it is very likely that social disaster will ensue.