DO SATANISTS RUN THE WORLD? Ex Member of Anton LaVey's Church Mark Passio LIVE - AU

Summary

Host Shaun Attwood interviews Mark Passio about Passio’s former involvement with Anton LaVey’s Church of Satan and his broader views on occultism, power, and personal responsibility.

Passio’s involvement with the Church of Satan

Passio says he joined LaVeyan Satanism as a young man after becoming disillusioned with organized religion. He describes himself as a Church of Satan priest—not its high priest—and says he declined an offer to lead a local “grotto.” He says he left after attending gatherings where, in his account, he encountered people from influential institutions and became concerned that the group’s aims involved gaining power at others’ expense.

Views on Satanism, authority, and freedom

Passio argues that “Satanism” is best understood not as worship of a literal devil, but as a selfish ideology that elevates the ego. He calls the everyday adoption of this outlook “de facto Satanism” and identifies four elements:

• Extreme self-interest
• Moral relativism
• Social Darwinism
• Eugenics

He extends the label to systems of authority and government, arguing that they impose rules through the threat of force and therefore amount to coercion and slavery. These are Passio’s interpretations and claims, rather than independently established findings.

Passio’s central prescription is that genuine freedom depends on moral conduct, not political, financial, or technological reforms. He defines a right as an action that does not initiate harm against another person and lists seven violations of natural law:

• Murder
• Assault
• Rape
• Theft
• Trespass
• Coercion
• Deception

He argues that these violations are forms of theft and that people should refuse to participate in wrongdoing, even at personal cost. He also urges people to scrutinize their own beliefs and conduct rather than focusing only on powerful figures.

Policing and drug enforcement

Attwood connects Passio’s critique of authority with policing and drug enforcement. He describes how officers he interviewed said they were assigned to target student groups and people using cannabis. Passio responds that law enforcement often punishes harmful acts after they occur rather than addressing the conditions that produce them.

Audience questions and other claims

Passio says a story that LaVey expressed regret or fear on his deathbed is alleged, not something he can confirm. He describes Church of Satan rituals as ceremonial, with some drawing on older traditions.

He interprets the Bohemian Grove’s “Cremation of Care” ritual as a symbolic act of setting aside conscience before causing harm. He distinguishes Crowley’s Thelema from LaVeyan Satanism while cautioning that Crowley’s writings require discernment. Passio also makes allegations about organized crime, the Vatican, and elite networks, presenting them as part of a wider occult power structure.

Closing

Attwood invites Passio to return for a discussion of occult symbolism in Hollywood and advertising. Passio recommends that viewers explore his podcast and other material in sequence.

Presenters and contributors: Shaun Attwood (host); Mark Passio (guest).