British armed forces recognise first ever Satanist

[Can Do (Phil 4:13)]

British armed forces recognise first ever Satanist

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 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.

"There is a guy who has asked to practice his (Satanic) beliefs on a Royal Navy ship," a Defence Ministry spokesman told AFP.

"His request was treated sympathetically by the ship's commanding officer."

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.

"I then read more and more and came to realise I'd always been a Satanist, just simply never knew," he was quoted as saying.

The Church of Satan was established in San Francisco in 1966 and LaVey was its high priest until his death in 1997.

Followers live by the Nine Satanic Statements, which include "Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence", "Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek" and "Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification".

--AFP

[other one]

All I can say is, "Its time"

[Catsmeow]

Excuse me. I think I need to get sick now.

[CarolineS]

I think this is really scary. Another sign of the times I guess. I just hope there will be enough public outcry to overturn this practice. It gives me the creeps.

And I hope we don't see more of this sort of thing.

In Christ,

CarolineS

[Guest The Chief]

Er, does this mean that if he needs to be buried at sea, he would be dropped through the stack (smokestack) into the boilers or turbines to "acclimatize" his remains to his new home, instead of being slid over the side into the water? :x:

[amor]

.  I just hope there will be enough public outcry to overturn this practice.  It gives me the creeps.

In Christ,

CarolineS

You can't have freedom of concience for some and not for others. Either you allow people to choose their faith or you don't. If you want to change people you do it by force of argument not by banning them. As regards to bowing to public outcry, the voices of those who shout most loudly,isn't that how Barabas gained his liberty? See here

Edited October 25, 2004 by amor