The first church of satan opened in South Africa. For years, the Satanists had no place of worship. Today, they now have a place to worship their god.
The church opened its doors after an idea of four years had been concretized by the co-founders. Thomas Matthew Miles-Nell, a member of the church, said that it is a joy to see that there is now an organization representative of what true religious Satanism is.
Another member, Jaco Venter, said, “I am really proud of my country because my religion is recognized and it has power.” The church is a non-profit society registered under the category of a religious organization.
Co-founders Adri Norton and Riaan Swiegelaar have said they want to dispel some of the misconceptions people may have about Satanism. “We are not a wealthy organization, but rather a religious organization,” said Norton.
Swiegelaar explained that they do not sacrifice humans or animals, do not initiate ceremonies, do not worship the devil, or even recognize the devil. According to Swiegelaar, they are not part of the “Illuminati” or a cult.
“Our organization does not even allow people under the age of 18 to participate in rallies, ceremonies, or rituals. We don’t have the rights yet, but we are negotiating to translate the Satanic Bible into Afrikaans. We will then be the first organization to do so,” said Swiegelaar.
The first satanic bible was published in 1969 and is available online and in some bookstores.