I got home from work about 8pm to a message from a friend, who said that Paul Valentine had mentioned us (The League) in one of his Youtube "rants." Now I am indeed familiar with Paul Valentine and his past involvement with Satanism. I was not familiar with the Youtube videos he makes. Honestly, I am not very hip to Youtube, only using it to watch Mixed Martial Arts competitions.
I normally don't watch video blogs or worry about what people have to say. However I had some free time and decided to check the link out.
The link, of course, was to a video blog of Mr.Valentine. His video blog, in which he gives his opinion on many matters in the company of his dogs eventually shifted to him ranting. Pulling out a notecard he begins by denouncing the Joy of Satan website.
After talking about the Joy of Satan, and his obvious dislike for theistic Satanists, he then mentions the League of Independent Satanists, the organization I co-founded and am currently Co-President of.
In his video blog posted on March 25th He said,
"The League...of Independent Satanists...
Are you fucking insane?" He then continues,
"Okay...You're a League...but you're independent?"
"Why Would you be part of a League...if you were independent?"
He then faux chuckled and said, "Idiot...or Idiots...anyone who is part of that."
Now automatically I know that he has never read any of our material, talked to any members or even tried to learn what the League is about.
He simply took a pot shot at our organizations name. A shallow observation indeed. Well, since he has so much difficulity in making sense of our Name, I will take this time to educate him, and save him the trouble of finding out on his own like any other rational man would do.
We are a League, which is defined in our fine English language as "an informal alliance".
We are Independent, holding alliegance to ones own pursuits as being of primary importance. We believe in the Individual before the group. As the true Individual, when choosing to ally with individuals who share a similar set of goals in the Occult world, will bring more to the organization they choose to affiliate with. More, of course, than one who is reliant on the direction of the group to guide their sense of the world around them.
We are Satanists, Individuals who stand as Adversaries to any system, theological or secular, that seeks to limit a person from reaching the fullness of their potential.
Most of us exist in this world where Satanists are few and far between. The League is for the Individual Satanists, Occultist, Secular Philosopher, Thelemite, Atheist, Agnostic, or any seeker, who is a libertine in "spirit" who believes that difference and variation are ingredients for progress.
We are a Chaos driven collection of wanderers, who by chance have all encountered each other in their journey and chose to make their passing introduction to The League's Philosophy, one of further study.
If that is too hard for Valentine to understand, if he still does not understand why we are called, The League of Independent Satanists, then he is simply a silly fucking moron.
I was then sent a second link in which he speaks of Joe Satanist, referring to him as a member of the "League of Satanist." Valentine obviously has some problem with the fact that Joe Satanist chooses to use a pseudonym. He can't seem to understand that there are some individuals who choose to not have their personal information out all over the internet. It doesn't make what Joe is saying any less relevant.
Before losing his train of thought, Valentine makes it very clear that he is displeased about something said by Joe. No doubt Joe Satanists had an eyefull of Valentine's numerous videos, and simply smelled...eh..or heard the bullshit.
Either way, it was business between Joe and Valentine, but as it is, I support Joe Satanist and his contribution to Satanism.
Paul Valentine, while it may be funny that he takes himself so seriously, what is not funny is that at one point he spoke for Satanism, representing it to the media in his typical corny, bumbling style, certainly not doing our philosophy any favors.
Funny that all this happened on April Fool's day... It seems fitting when talking about Paul Valentine.
