I think I get American freedom. I'm American, I know what I can and can't do. I can accept the difference between freedom and anarchy. Not saying I wouldn't like a little anarchy, but I know some smaller people who wouldn't survive week one of anarchy and I'm fond of them.

The thing I don't get is how we protect American freedom by attacking other countries thousands of miles away without the capabilities of striking us with any sort of long range missile. You hear it all the time: soldiers are fighting for American freedom. If you question it, it's like you question the freedom part and not the location issue.

That's exactly it, Pickle....
What is freedom for someone may be opressive for somebody else. And here's where the concept of balancing liberties comes in. And from the point you have to accept somebody else's freedom... well, then you start opressing yourself.

And then there is that other issue... the fact that we "learn to want" what others expect us to. And... well.... then it gets pretty awful... and it's quite a subject to be discussed on this thread.

Anyway... my rant is over... LaVey it was....

I myself am highly interested in LaVeyan Satanism for many of its philosophies that I personally agree can help me attain happiness.

No matter how anyone insults him, he can't get any lower or higher because Anton Szandor LaVey is Anton Szandor LaVey.

However, I do not recommend it for anyone. I've read the Satanic bible, and I own it. It should not be taken literally because LaVey likes to use a lot of hidden puns and metaphors.

LaVey was, like many say, his own person no matter how vile or horrid he may be to others. He admits that he's not holy or pure or anything.
No matter how arrogant he is, at least he's honest. Plus, he achieved what he wanted to do in life. As for the sacrifice part, thats a totally different debate. I know for a fact that he stated that a human sacrifice should be someone you can't stand anyway. He also says that you should be honest with yourself and make no attempt to wear a good guy badge.

If anything I'd see him as a frivolous member of the Hellfire Society if today was long ago. He'd just be in it for the "fancies." Maybe because he's human LOL.

There is no point in insulting, he's long dead. We merely criticise and history is going to judge the rest.
I simply do not find something greatly novel in his philosophy.
And I also consider many of the followers of the church of satan to be quite pretentious instead of honest.
I even got banned from a satanists' IRC channel because I mentioned Nietzche.
Honesty is a rare thing to find and most of the times, it has nothing to do with belief or religion. It depends on the individual at hand.