British armed forces recognise first ever Satanist

[Minstrel Boy]

British armed forces recognise first ever Satanist

October 24, 2004

A technician in the Royal Navy has become the first serviceman in Britain's armed forces to be officially recognised as a Satanist, the defence ministry said on today.

Chris Cranmer, 24, has been given the go-ahead by his captain to perform Satanic rituals on board the HMS Cumberland and is reportedly lobbying his employers to register Satanism as an official religion in the armed forces.

...

Mr Cranmer holds the rank of leading hand - the naval equivalent of corporal - and in line with British naval tradition will be permitted to have a funeral carried out by the Church of Satan should he be killed in action.

He realised he was a Satanist nine years ago after stumbling across a copy of the Satanic Bible written by Church of Satan founder Anton Szandor LaVey, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200410/s1226724.htm

[goforit]

1. OMG!!!!............We knew this all along.

[Domitan]

2. Hey, where's Michael Aquino?

They should start their international army of Satanists!!!

[chookie]

3. This may be being misreported

The book was not The Satanic Bible -- it was really "The Project Against The Present Danger." A lot of people confuse them.

[aneerkoinos]

4. Satanism

The LaVey stuff is OK religion, even though not my cup of tea. Not to be mixed up with Satan Worshipping, which is just negative pistic Christianity.

LaVeyan Satanism is an atheist religion based on fullfilling the individual potential and happiness which don't make any fuss about Compassion and such, quite like the Capitalist Consumerism in essence, everyone should just care for their own buts.

[demigoddess]

15. sounds like dog eat dog republicanism to me.

that is all

[doreme]

5. Can Santa Clausism

and Four Leaf Cloverology be far behind?

[VegasWolf]

6. I wonder what readings the naval service provides for an atheist?

I personally would prefer some selected readings by Henry Miller.

New Information Shows Bush Indecisive, Paranoid, Delusional

[PassingFair]

21. J S Mill

for me, please...

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Anything that shocks Anne Widdecombe must be worth a try

http://icsouthlondon.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/nationalnews/tm_objectid=14792940&method=full&siteid=50100&headline=widdecombe-horror-at-navy-satanist-name_page.html

"I am utterly shocked by this," Miss Widdecombe said.

"Satanism is wrong. Obviously the private beliefs of individuals anywhere including the Armed Forces are their own affair but I hope it doesn't spread.

"There should be no question whatsoever of allowing Satanist rituals on board any ship in Her Majesty's Royal Navy.

"What they believe and do in their own home is one thing, what they do at work is the business of their employer.

"The Navy should not permit Satanist practices on board its ships.

"God himself gives free will, but I would like to think that if somebody applied to the Navy and said they were a Satanist today it would raise its eyebrows somewhat."

[LibLabUK]

8. Hmm...

I wonder how well this will go down with his crewmates.

Sailors are a superstitious bunch and this guy is just asking to be called a "Jonah".

[Nihil]

9. They've also got a sense of humour ...

... and will probably enjoy the show while the resident god-botherer
tries to convert the resident satanist ...

There again, they might be holding out for him to convert a few female
sailors and start up a "dancing naked at midnight" ritual!

(Ugh .. just had a vile thought of Ann Widdicombe ... no, I can't say
it ... oh God, I'm sorry ... just take away that image ... please!)

[amber dog democrat]

10. I don't know about Satinists - but there were at least 2 Navy bases

that were hell to be stationed in,

Mayport and GTMO.

[LibLabUK]

11. Err..

Aren't those USN bases?

[amber dog democrat]

13. ummm well yeah.

That's the Navy I served in.
I have fond memories of long summer combat training evaluations in Gitmo and long repair sessons tied up to destryoer tenders in Mayport.

They were hell. Trust me on that.

[Zorra]

12. Satanists For Bush:

(Warning: This is a RW, pro-Bu$h website)

Thanks to the Iraq War (and the diabolical genius of the Abu Ghraib images especially), we're now hurtling down the road to a decades-long all-out global religious war. This is clearly the path to Armageddon and the release of Satan from Hell so that he can rule the Earth for 1,000 years. Go team!

Despite all this (and most importantly), George W. Bush claims to be the most pious Christian among us. This is pretty much item #1 on the Antichrist checklist and mainstream Christians are eating it up! Just like Satan diagrammed it!

Make no mistake: We really are Satanists and we really are convinced that George W. Bush's actions will enable (or already have enabled) the release of Satan from Hell to rule the kingdom of Earth for 1,000 years.

http://www.satanistsforbush.com/

[livinginphotographs]

16. Maybe I'm being dense...

but that is definitely not a pro-Bush website. I personally thought it was funny as hell.

Anyway, :end hijack:

[Zorra]

18. No, no! It IS a pro-Bu$h website.

(Psssst - Don't Clue The Freepers)

[livinginphotographs]

17. But if you're really looking for a good laugh...

This seems to me to be an authentic Bush site.

:shakes head in utter disbelief:

http://www.bushislord.com/index.php

(on edit: I was wrong, this is satire as well. Just read the forums)

[Swamp Rat]

19. LOL!

:D

[emad]

14. From The Independent

Navy satanist will not have to choose between devil and deep blue sea
By James Sturcke
25 October 2004


On the homepage of the Church of Satan, beneath the central figure with devilish horns flanked by men in animal masks, is the catchline "We're looking for a few outstanding individuals." The homepage of the Royal Navy, meanwhile, asks if you've got the strength of mind to succeed....................

A spokesman for the Royal Navy said: "We are an equal opportunities employer and we don't stop anybody from having their own religious values. Our policy is that, wherever practical, reasonable requests for time and facilities that do not impact on operational effectiveness or the welfare of other personnel, are met."

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/story.jsp?story=575689

[DulceDecorum]

20. They allow Satanists, BUT

how do they treat Muslims?