The Church of Satan reveal what they really think about the 'Illuminati'

The Illuminati remains one of the most enduring conspiracy-birthing concepts.

What was once a real-life secret society in 18th-century Bavaria has since been hijacked by baseless claims from some who say they hold the key to the truth.

Modern-day fabrications have seen doctors, politicians, journalists and celebrities accused of being members of the group that supposedly runs the world.

The latest plot twist suggests satanic behaviour is happening in plain sight – including in Beyonce's 2023 SatanCore concert in Dubai. Not only did it dominate headlines because of the jaw-dropping sum she was paid, but the star was also accused of "performing rituals in our face".

Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Sam Smith then took the heat when attention turned to their provocative Grammys performance of 'Unholy' with Kim Petras. Senator Ted Cruz called it "evil", with many more slamming Smith for "teaching your kids to worship satan."

Other names accused of being on the celebrity-clad Illuminati guest list include the likes of Madonna, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, the Kardashians, Lizzo, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend. The lengthy accusations continued – that was until one believer got complacent with their claims and simply penned: "Just assume all [artists] are until proven otherwise".

Theories have become so creatively outlandish that even real-life Satanists think it's going too far.

Despite growing up in a Catholic household, Magister of the Church of Satan, Bill M, turned to Satanism in the 1990s after feeling inspired by Anton Szandor LaVey's The Satanic Bible. The book includes a collection of essays and observations to shatter the classic depiction of Satanism, and instead, provide what some may describe as a "logical argument" in favour of self-indulgence.

"Most friends and family, to their credit, were able to understand my chosen path when I explained it to them," he said, explaining that Satanism is not the same as Satan worship.

When it comes to A-list performances, Bill M "can't believe the holy-rollers keep taking the bait," describing them as "so passé" to Indy100.

"I really have no idea where these Illuminati believers are getting their information on 'Satanism' and 'Satanic ritual' from," he said. "It's certainly not from any actual Satanic literature."

Bill M supports the idea that these approaches are designed to create "theatrical shock value" – and it's certainly nothing new.

"These major award ceremonies have been losing more and more viewership every year, and can only get a mention on the news if somebody says or does something supposedly controversial, whether it's about politics, sex, or blasphemy," he claims.

Satanism is reportedly a strictly non-theistic religion that treats Satan as a metaphor that represents self-gratifying things "which religion has traditionally given the Devil's name".

These include: "Pride, lust, atheism, science, being selective about whom we love, putting oneself first, and so on."

"We are Satanists, not Satan worshipers," Bill M explained. "We believe that all deities, including Satan, are just the mythological inventions of humans."

Satanism is not a congregational religion, according to Bill M, nor is it compulsory to gather with other Satanists. When meet-ups do occur, they can include "anything from innocuous social gatherings, to formalised Satanic group rituals, to creative or business projects, to events like weddings and funerals."

Inevitably, when Satanism is mentioned, the mind derails to demonic chanting and sacrifices. This is not the case, according to the Church of Satan.

"There are of course the long-standing stereotypes of Satanism found in tacky horror movies, the tabloids, and Christian scare propaganda: the claims that we're devil worshipers, that we sacrifice animals, kidnap children, and so on," Bill M said.

"There's also the widespread belief, that we're the Illuminati, controlling the world banks or giving away millionaire job positions. Some claim we believe in the exact opposite of what we say right in our literature, and only reveal this to members once they reach a certain rank, which makes absolutely no sense."

Church of Satan Archive

Established in 1966, the Church of Satan has always maintained a strict privacy policy – especially when it comes to putting non-members in contact with members. This is mainly due to security, as they acknowledge that Satanism is a controversial religion and, therefore, want to prioritise protecting members.

"Individuals who have not yet affiliated are an unknown quantity, and realistically we cannot trust those whom we do not yet know," Bill M said, revealing that he still receives "hate mail and the occasional death threat."

"Most Satanists, myself included, are typically private about our religious affiliation," he added, which includes some of the "famous people" said to hold membership in the Church of Satan.

"However, the entertainers or politicians I see conspiracy theorists naming are almost always not members," he added.

Church of Satan Archives

Despite theories evolving over time, Bill M believes they have nothing on the 1980s hysteria, the "Satanic Panic".

He recalled a time when the "news media, daytime television talk shows, law enforcement, entertainment industry, and Christian zealots" propagated a "lie that roving bands of devil worshipers were terrorising every town."

"They believed that anything from heavy metal albums to Dungeons & Dragons were gateways into these cults."

"Thankfully, today's conspiracy theories with QAnon and the like are rightfully largely dismissed as conspiracy theories," he said.

Bill M is also not naive to the fact that people would assume he's lying to cover up for something much more sinister. "There's no point in having a rational discourse with conspiracy theorists as we're just accused of being liars," he claimed.

There is one thing Bill M can "agree with Illuminati believers on," before citing some of the world's most powerful individuals and companies to Indy100, suggesting they should be investigated.

However, "accusing corrupt bureaucrats or random pop stars as being 'Satanists' is, besides just being factually incorrect, just guaranteeing that nobody will take you seriously."

Indy100 reached out to the celebrities' reps mentioned in this feature

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.