Reverse Yazidism

Brother Nero has been described (not very kindly) as the “Satanist equivalent to a Baptist fire-and-brimstone preacher” and as a “reverse Christian”. Having read most of “Satanism”, I agree with the assessment.

Even the terminology and the rituals are heavily indebted to Christianity, with the author constantly emphasizing the need for a personal relationship with Satan and his Demons, the necessity of prayer and baptism, opposition to abortion (because children of Satanist couples should become Satanists, too) and respect for the High Priest or Priestess (compare respect for the Christian clergy). Dating non-Satanists is forbidden, since Satanists are a race all their own. Compare fundamentalist Christians (“unequally bound”) or Orthodox Jews! Many of the notes contain Biblical passages, sometimes extensive ones. And yes, the pseudonym “Brother Nero” obviously refers to The Number of the Beast in John's Book of Revelation, which is 666 (or 616).

Theologically, Brother Nero's form of “traditional” or theistic Satanism accepts the basic Judeo-Christian story to a surprisingly large degree. Apparently, Jehovah is a real being and seems to have created both the world, man and the angels. However, since the creator-god is a wicked tyrant who created man as his robot-like plaything, the angel Lucifer was right in leaving Heaven and start a rebellion. Thus, Satan is a “fallen” angel, just like in Biblical religion, rather than the real creator-god. Nor is he a counter-god (as in Zoroastrianism) or a polytheistic high god (as in many other forms of Satanism, which straddle Neo-Paganism or Wicca at this point). Strangely, Brother Nero believes that Satan can somehow overthrow Jehovah, despite being a created being. To this end, Satan wants to recruit humanity – or at least part of it. After the final battle, which will presumably be played out pretty much like in Revelation, but with fortunes reversed, Satan's followers will be welcomed to Hell, which isn't a place of eternal torment, but rather the Devil's very own kingdom. Even if Satan is defeated, however, part of his rebellious energy will remain, and at a certain point he will be reborn, Phoenix-like, to start the battle anew. “The Beast had power to heal itself”. In a sense, this means that Satan's rebellion can fail, at least in this time-cycle!

While most of Brother Nero's ideas on Satanism are a peculiar form of Christian heresy, he gives it an additional twist by constantly referencing two scriptures from the Yazidi religion, “Al-Jilwah” and “The Poem in Praise of Sheik Adi”. Yazidism is practiced by a small Kurdish minority in the Middle East, but what is known about this religion is very different from Nero's exegesis. Yazidis worship Malek Taus or the Peacock Angle, often identified with Lucifer, but claim that this fallen angel has made penance and been pardoned by God! Thus, the accusation of “Devil Worship”, often hurled at the Yazidis by Muslims, is strictly speaking false. Yet, it seems that clever American Satanists have seized on the few available Yazidi scriptures to concoct an ancient lineage for their modern mumbo jumbo. Just wait, when Yazidi refugees from Syria reach the United States and learn to speak PC, they will accuse the local coven of “cultural appropriation” and “gross insensitivity”… Thus, Brother 666 isn't just a peculiar Christian heretic, but also something as strange as a Yazidi heretic who probably never met a Yazidi.

I'd say a latter day Epiphanius of Salamis could have some fun with this material!

Final point. Although Nero constantly admonishes his fellow brothers and sisters in Satan to be serious, his own home grown version of being serious is just as exotic as his theology. Thus, his own Satanist group was called HOME or Horned Order's Magickal Existence. Later, it was renamed The Orthodox Temple of Satan which, admittedly, sounds more grave. However, the Halloween-like logo of Devil Mark's Publishing once again makes you wonder what these guys are really playing at…