Paradise Lost by John Milton

"Infernal world and thou profoundest Hell, receive
thy new Possessor: One who brings a mind not to
be changed by Place or Time. The mind is its own
place, and in itself can make a Heav'n of Hell,
a Hell of Heav'n what matter where, if I still be the same,
and what should I be all but less than hee whom Thunder
hath made greater? Here at least we shall be free;
Th' Almighty hath not here for his envy, will not drive us hence:
Here we may reign secure, and in my choice
to reign is worth ambition though in Hell,
Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n."
--Satan

Arguably the most famous paragraph in John Milton's epic poem which chronicled Lucifer and the Seraphim's war against Yahweh and his angels and archangels and eventual fall of the Seraphim, and the tempting of Eve in the Garden of Eden.

The intended protagonists were supposedly Adam, Eve, and Jesus (Who told the Father, Yahweh, that he would allow himself to be the living sacrifice so that mankind could be forgiven for their sins, which was introduced into the world after Eve ate from the infamous apple).

When I read this in college, I actually empathized more with Lucifer (Called Satan after the fall) because I related to the ill feelings of being on the outside looking in accompanied by feelings of jealousy and pride. I remember more than a few self-righteous classmates trying to debate theology with me even though I didn't consider myself a Satanist back in those days (Ironically, I still considered myself to be a Christian back then).

A common first book that most Satanists read is the Satanic Bible. Mine was this.

This was definitely a classic which I'm surprised that more people here didn't read. If you haven't already, I suggest that you do.

I believe that Gnostic Satanism has to do with worshiping the version of Satan that's depicted in "Paradise Lost." The Fallen One who will someday return to Heaven with his Seraphim and will wage a final, more brutal war than the first and will be victorious, as you have mentioned before.

I also read somewhere that the Garden of Eden is located in Iraq, something that you may or may not have heard in your travels.

Yes, from what I gather from users here is that everyone thinks of Satan from a Gnostic viewpoint to some degree.

"The Diabolicon" and "The Book of Philosophies" especially expresses a Gnostic viewpoint with Traditional tendencies.

Yes, I also heard that the Garden of Eden is located in or around the city of Basra, if I'm not mistaken. The birthplace of Abraham is located in Talil. Iraq struck me as almost mystical at times. When Iraq isn't going through one of their notorious heat waves, it would rain for a day or two and grass would already be growing from the sand. Then the grass would of course die after a few more days of heat and no rain. I attributed the fertility of the land as Iraq having been the birthplace of humanity.

I also heard that they were going to make a movie adaption of "Paradise Lost" and were thinking of casting Heath Ledger as Satan before Ledger's death.

Lustmord wrote:I also heard that they were going to make a movie adaption of "Paradise Lost" and were thinking of casting Heath Ledger as Satan before Ledger's death.

They would've probaly have to have a trillion dollar budget to make considering the special effects. They would have obviously not made a profit guaging from the interest in "Paradise Lost" in this forum. It would've been just us going to see it and they would have made a whopping $18.