Random Ways the Church of Satan Is Similar to Christianity (19 items)

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  (#1) It's All About the Money

  Regardless of what either of the two religions preach, money plays a large role in both Satanism and Christianity. It costs $200 to join the Church of Satan (plus the cost of your copy of The Satanic Bible), and though that seems steep. most Christian churches ask that you tithe 10% of your weekly earnings. Not that you don't get anything in exchange for the cash - sermons, a place to worship (assuming you live near a Church of Satan Grotto), and a community of like minded people, for instance. 
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  (#2) Drugs Are Bad

  One of the things that both the Church of Satan and Christian churches agree on is the condemnation of drug use. Although they have different ways of going about it. The Church of Satan says you shouldn't do something that's illegal because it's dumb, while the Christian faith is a little more flamboyant in their takedown of illegal substances; Pope John Paul II  went so far as to call drug dealers "merchants of death." Sounds like the Vatican should host its own Player Haters Ball. 
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  (#3) Christmas Is a Big Deal

  It turns out that no matter what religion you subscribe to, everyone loves Christmas. Santa Claus was probably stolen from various pagan religions and turned into a cheery children's character, so Satanists celebrate Christmas to honor pagan traditions. Also, you know, Santa is an anagram of Satan. 
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  (#4) They Offer a Place to Gather

  One of the most confusing aspects of the Church of Satan is that their places of worship are known as grottos, not churches of temples (the Satanic Temple is a political and religious group not affiliated with the Church of Satan). More confusing still, Grotto seems to have two meanings, that of a physical space where Satanists gather, and a group of Satanists who live near one another and create a community. So, a Grotto can gather in a Grotto; it is both church and congregation.

  Still, regardless of how you slice it, both Christianity and Satanism offer members access to a like minded community and a place to gather and perform religious services. 
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  (#5) There Are Annoying Hipsters in Both Religions

  To be fair, most people with religious inclinations are totally fine and keep their belief in Jesus, Satan, The Prophet, The Flying Spaghetti Monster, etc. to themselves.. But that doesn't mean Satanism and Christianity don't both have annoying hipster pastors who do things like baptize Justin Bieber in a basketball player's bathtub (a Christian thing) or wax their mustaches while working as a graphic designer (a Satanist thing).  
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  (#6) They Share a Golden Rule

  When it comes down to it, both Christianity and the Church of Satan are based on the idea of not being a dick to anyone and of taking care of yourself. Christianity has Matthew 7:12, "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." And the Church of Satan has the fourth Satanic Statement, "Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates!" 
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  (#7) There's a Single Deity

  It's important to note that, while the Church of Satan goes out of its way to let you know Satan is a philosophical ideal, not a goat-headed thing walking around a hell dimension, he still serves the same basic function Jesus (or God) serves in the Christian faith. Both characters are figureheads onto which adherents can project their feelings and faith in order to gain an understanding of the universe. 
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  (#8) They Share a Visual Aesthetic

  By copying the style of the Christian church and creating a visual similarity, the Church of Satan managed to catapult itself into a respectable place amongst world religions (or as respectable as you can be when your ideas are deliberately designed as the antithesis to all major forms of monotheism). Whether the Church of Satan's use of the cross, organs, robes, and various other accouterments as a way of poking fun at Christianity or simply a result of the inherent theatricality of organized religion remains unclear. 
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  (#9) Symbolism Is Important

  Both Christianity and the Church of Satan share a flare for symbolism in their art and practices. Regardless of whether the Church of Satan believes in a devil/goat-headed angel winged-anthropomorphic-character, Anton LaVey understood there's power in that visual. It's similar the aesthetic rationale of cathedrals, which are meant to overwhelm the senses and physically intimidate visitors, directly referencing the power and majesty of god. 
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  (#10) The Importance of Ritual

  Every religion needs ceremony and ritual. It not only affirms dedication to the idea of faith, but also performs the psychological task of helping adherents feel as though the abstract notion of faith and religious principles have physical applications that tangibly affects the world. Both followers of the Church of Satan, and Christians make use of this handy fact. 
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  (#11) Jesus and Satan Share a Nickname

  In various portions of The Bible, Jesus and Satan are both referred to as "the morning star" and compared to lions. Whether this was a clerical error on the part of one of the many authors and rewriters of The Bible, or a way to show the equal and opposite forces Jesus and Lucifer represent, is a question that scholars have been grappling with for decades. 
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  (#12) Gay Marriage? Sure, Why Not?

  Admittedly, not every Christian is as cool about gay marriage as the members of the Church of Satan, but the Episocopal church made huge strides by welcoming members of the congregation who've been ostracized from other denominations. It goes without saying that this is in line with what the Church of Satan has been saying since its inception. 
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  (#13) They're Both Heavily Fractured

  Much like Black Flag, Satanism and Christianity have always had multiple people who see themselves as leaders, or the truest version of the doctrine. As Christianity has Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostals, and so on, there are different branches, or completely unrelated churches, dedicated to Satanism. Each denomination of the religions has its own set of beliefs, roughly based on the same principles, but specified in unique ways. 
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  (#14) They Both Have Movie Recommendations

  One of the strangest crossovers between Christianity and Satanism - they both have recommended viewing lists. In fact, there are a ton of recommended viewing lists for Christians, but the Church of Satan maintains a definitive one for Satanists. There isn't much overlap, though some Christian lists, and the Church of Satan list, recommend Inherit The Wind, a film about a teacher put on trail for introducing his students to evolution, rather than indoctrinating them with creationism. 

  Some other movies recommended for Christians include The Passion of the Christ, The Sound of Music, The Miracle Maker: the Story of Jesus, and Sister Act. The Church of Satan suggests Blade Runner, Death Wish, Rosemary's Baby, and a fair number of Weimar expressionist films (M, Metropolis, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu).
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  (#15) There Are Famous Members of Each Religion

  Everyone knows you're not a real religion until famous people are knocking down the door of your temple. While Christianity touts members like Justin Bieber and Mark Wahlberg (among countless others), the Church of Satan has rubbed elbows with groovy Satanists like Marilyn Manson and Sammy Davis Jr. Interestingly, some people you might think are Satanists - Ozzy Osbourne, Tom Araya of Slayer - are Christians. 
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  (#16) Both Religions Have Monuments

  Monumental statues aren't part of every religion, though provide an important form of worship and devotion for some. While it's against the teachings of Islam to depict the Prophet Muhammad in any way, you'll find statues of Hindu gods all over India, and Buddha throughout East Asia. Christianity has monumental statues galore, including Christ the Redeemer, the giant Jesus in Rio de Janeiro.

  As for Satanism, the Satanic Temple commissioned a statue of Baphomet, a goat-headed Satanic being, to stand alongside the 10 Commandments at a federal courthouse in  Tulsa, OK, as an expression of freedom of religion. The statue was rejected by the court, and now stands at a Satanic Temple in Detroit. 
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  (#17) Church Hierarchy

  No matter how groovy your religion is or how much black you wear during your midnight mass, if you don't have an established hierarchy, your group will devolve into anarchy. The Church of Satan's hierarchy pretty much follows the Christian faith's established set of job titles, they're just a little more spooky. For instance, in the Catholic church you move up the chain of command from the laity (normal people), to deacons, priests, and so on. In the Church of Satan, you begin as a registered member and move on to witch/warlock, priest, and beyond. 
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  (#18) Both Religions Can Be Oppressive

  Not every household is the same, but growing up in an overly religious family, be it a Christian household, or the home of Anton LaVey, can do severe damage to a kid. Zeena Schreck, Anton LaVey's daughter, describes growing up in the eye of the Church of Satan as a complete nightmare. "[Her parents] were too wrapped up in their own problems and fought constantly. This mentality—along with our dysfunctional relationships and my father’s violence, fear, and paranoia—were the forces behind his teachings." 
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  (#19) Outreach Is Important

  The only real way to watch your religion thrive is to take part in outreach programs. Various Christian organizations send missionaries all over the world to preach the gospel, and the Church of Satan has followed suit. "We feel it is our function to actively provide outreach, to lead by example, and to participate in public affairs wheresoever the issues might benefit from rational, Satanic insights. As Satanists, we all should be guided by our consciences to undertake noble pursuits guided by our individual wills. We believe that this is the hope of all mankind and the highest aspiration of humanity."

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