# Royal NaVY NCO is First Registered Satanist in British Forces



## Bill Smy (24 Oct 2004)

From The Scotsman, 23 October 2004

 :

Navy Technician Becomes Services' First Satanist 

By Rachel Williams, PA News 


A Royal Navy non-commissioned officer has become the first registered Satanist in the British Armed Forces, it emerged tonight.

Naval technician Chris Cranmer has been officially recognised as a Satanist by the captain of HMS Cumberland, meaning he will be allowed to perform Satanic rituals on board.

He is now reportedly lobbying the Ministry of Defence to make Satanism a registered religion in the Armed Forces, although an MoD spokesman said it was not aware of any approach about the issue.

Ldg Hand Cranmer, 24, is from Edinburgh and has been in the Navy for four years, according to the Sunday Telegraph.

He was promoted leading hand â â€œ the naval equivalent of corporal â â€œ in July last year.

He told the paper he realised he was a Satanist nine years ago when he â Å“stumbled acrossâ ? a copy of the Satanic Bible â â€œ written by Church of Satan founder Anton Szandor LaVey.

â Å“I then read more and more and came to realise I'd always been a Satanist, just simply never knew,â ? he said.

A spokesman for the Royal Navy said: â Å“We are an equal opportunities employer and we don't stop anybody from having their own religious values.

â Å“Chris Cranmer approached his captain and made a request to be registered as a Satanist.

â Å“This involved a formal stand-up approach, made in front of an audience, saying that he wanted to register as a Satanist and to practise his religious beliefs.

â Å“The Royal Navy allows this kind of approach because it is clearly in line with current regulations.

â Å“We are not aware of any other individuals who want to be registered as Satanists.

â Å“Our policy is that, wherever practical, reasonable requests for time and facilities that do not impact on operational effectiveness or the welfare of other personnel, are met.

â Å“The captain said that this decision was entirely up to the individual and that he is a good lad, a good worker on board.â ?

The Church of Satan was established in San Francisco in 1966 and LaVey was its high priest until his death in 1997.

Followers live by the Nine Satanic Statements, which include â Å“Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinenceâ ?, â Å“Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheekâ ? and â Å“Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratificationâ ?.

Ldh Hand Cranmer told the newspaper being a Satanist gave him â Å“the freedom of religion I wanted despite its controversial natureâ ?.


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## bubba (24 Oct 2004)

holy f**k,over?????


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## winchable (24 Oct 2004)

Well it's a good laugh anyhow.

Imagine having an instructor running your courses who was a satanist.


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## Crazy_Eyes (24 Oct 2004)

Going up to a captain and asking to be registered as a satanist in front of an audience? wouldn't that be just a bit akward???


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## Michael OLeary (24 Oct 2004)

Che said:
			
		

> Well it's a good laugh anyhow.
> 
> Imagine having an instructor running your courses who was a satanist.



You mean they weren't?


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## winchable (24 Oct 2004)

> You mean they weren't?



You know that would explain alot.
Especially the ritual sacrifices


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## Jarnhamar (24 Oct 2004)

I couldn't care what religion someone was and whatever their practices are as long as they don't wake me up.


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## gun plumber (24 Oct 2004)

Well.....
So much for God,Queen and country....


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## Pieman (24 Oct 2004)

Remember, Satan loves you.   >


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## winchable (24 Oct 2004)

Been doing a bit of reading about The "Church of Satan"

Funny stuff I have to say.
But some of the funniest parts of it are reading about the many myths that the creator of the church used to perpetrate about his own past.


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## Crazy_Eyes (24 Oct 2004)

gun plumber said:
			
		

> Well.....
> So much for God,Queen and country....



Theoretically, Satan is god to him isn't it? lol, i'm suprised no one's dug up the old satanist thread


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## onecat (24 Oct 2004)

"Well it's a good laugh anyhow.

Imagine having an instructor running your courses who was a satanist."

A satanist is not a sadist... there's a difference.  So I doubt a course run by a satanist is any different than a course run by a christian or what ever religion.  But a satist.... well that would be just be sadistic. ;D


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## tabernac (24 Oct 2004)

Any one remember Nox? He made a post about the advantages of Satanism herehttp://army.ca/forums/threads/16822.0.html


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## Crazy_Eyes (24 Oct 2004)

I knew someone was gonna dig up that thread sooner or later >


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## tabernac (24 Oct 2004)

> I knew someone was gonna dig up that thread sooner or later



I've known the kid for about 9 years, so I had to bring it up.
There seems to be a pattern here........

Christianity is just a hipocritical joke...
http://army.ca/forums/threads/16934/post-75930.html#msg75930

Logistics of Noah's Ark...
http://army.ca/forums/threads/4165/post-40592.html#msg40592

And of course the Satanism Thread...
http://army.ca/forums/threads/16822/post-76382.html#msg76382


Some part of me is saying that he had a fetish for Religion posts >...


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## Long in the tooth (25 Oct 2004)

Why am I not surprised?  The American Army recognizes the Wiccan 'faith' and even has military padres trained in its ceremonies.  I wonder... do they work over christmas?


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## NavyGrunt (25 Oct 2004)

Actually Satanism isnt "devil worship" per sae. They believe that the devil and god are "ideals" and dont "actually exist"....really every satanist is overly self centered as the basis of the "religion"(and I use that loosely) is "what can you do for me, and what can I do for me". I dont see how the belief system is conducive to military life as its all about "me" and never about the team, unit, or the common good....maybe thats a massive generalization but my reading on the subject(however limited) leads me to this conclusion. However if he's a good sailor I could care less. You can worship a TV stand as long as you work hard.

As in the Adam Sandler sketch about the cult-

"They say they 'hate the sun'?" 
"You say 'Sure whatever F**K the sun!' What do you care, you got a free haircut- your already 10 bucks ahead"


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## Storm (25 Oct 2004)

Aaron White said:
			
		

> Actually Satanism isnt "devil worship" per sae. They believe that the devil and god are "ideals" and dont "actually exist"....really every satanist is overly self centered as the basis of the "religion"(and I use that loosely) is "what can you do for me, and what can I do for me". I dont see how the belief system is conducive to military life as its all about "me" and never about the team, unit, or the common good....maybe thats a massive generalization but my reading on the subject(however limited) leads me to this conclusion. However if he's a good sailor I could care less. You can worship a TV stand as long as you work hard.



I was kind of disappointed when I first heard of Satanism a number of years ago and looked into what it actually entails. I think I was secretly hoping for another group of whack jobs to laugh at, but they're much less controversial than they're made out to be. I like to think of them as a group of atheists and agnostics who worship capitalism but call it something else. People just see "Satan" and freak out. It's only a name. If they had made up a name instead of using "Satan" I doubt it would ever have generated any attention at all. If he does his job and it doesn't interfere with the effectiveness of the ship then he can worhip pocket lint for all I care. It's his choice as a member of a free society.


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## Horse_Soldier (26 Oct 2004)

Storm said:
			
		

> I was kind of disappointed when I first heard of Satanism a number of years ago and looked into what it actually entails. I think I was secretly hoping for another group of whack jobs to laugh at, but they're much less controversial than they're made out to be. I like to think of them as a group of atheists and agnostics who worship capitalism but call it something else. People just see "Satan" and freak out. It's only a name. If they had made up a name instead of using "Satan" I doubt it would ever have generated any attention at all. If he does his job and it doesn't interfere with the effectiveness of the ship then he can worhip pocket lint for all I care. It's his choice as a member of a free society.



Satan is only a name?  Yup: http://www.nhl.com/lineups/player/8459534.html  ;D
And no one freaks out at him


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## Pugnacious (30 Oct 2004)

Worn Out Grunt said:
			
		

> Why am I not surprised?   The American Army recognizes the Wiccan 'faith' and even has military padres trained in its ceremonies.   I wonder... do they work over christmas?



For the record...Wicca, and Satanism are not the same...not even close, esp' the fact that Wiccans do not believe in a Satan.
Also they ask for no benifit that hasn't been given to other religions in the military over the years.
Bonus is Most Christian holidays are simply renaming of old Pagan holidays anyway.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm#menu1

And re' the military and Wicca (interesting stuff):
http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcr6.htm

BTW: this whole thing sounds like one of those "just in time for halloween" stories.

Cheers!
P.


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## Crazy_Eyes (30 Oct 2004)

Dont Wiccans believe in a "natural spirit"? I'm pretty sure they dont have a god in particular to worship. I know they believe in magic, but I dont think it's quite to the extent it's made out to be. :-\


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## brin11 (30 Oct 2004)

I worked with a woman who claimed to be Wiccan and she said it had nothing to do with withcraft or spells.  They simply worship a god and a goddess which are the two sides of humankind.  They worship nature as well apparently.  There are also lots of men, I guess, that are Wiccan, not just a woman thing.


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## sigpig (4 Nov 2004)

Storm said:
			
		

> I like to think of them as a group of atheists and agnostics who worship capitalism but call it something else.



One small problem there Storm, atheists don't "worship" anything. Atheists wouldn't refer to themselves as Satanist as we don't acknowledge the existance of an entity known as satan. Since there is no god, why would there be a satan?  >


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## Storm (4 Nov 2004)

Ok, I admit it, you got me on improper semantics   :-[


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## sigpig (4 Nov 2004)

Storm said:
			
		

> Ok, I admit it, you got me on improper semantics   :-[



Sorry if I seem overly sensitive but after Tuesdays election we feel like an endangered species down here in the states and are now in a fighting mood  :warstory:  Almost forgot I was talking to a Canadian.


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## Pugnacious (4 Nov 2004)

Like everything constructed by the human imagination and creativity Wiccan borrows, and exists made up of many old religions. But it doesn't believe in 'a Satan'. The only rule is simular to the Christian Golden rule of "Love all harm none"  Written by a 20th c. Kabbalist, which some choose to mean total pacifism  while others allow for violence to be used in self defense or defense of those that need protection...sort of a 'warrior monk' code of ethics.  Yah reap what you sow is another common thread of thought.

Some feel the need for complex rituals, large gatherings, and others do not, and simply thrive as solo practitioners that worship with good deeds, and quiet reflection of the good things, and moments in life...that may simply light a candle on one of the holidays, which tend to be on the Christian holidays also, as Christianity adopted them from the Pagans, and renamed them, but can still be seen practiced in 'the old form' in the UK, and most notably in rural Ireland, and Scotland.

The links provide more well said info then I could put down in an afternoon.

And yes it is recognized in Canada as a religion.

Cheers!
P.


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## Storm (6 Nov 2004)

sigpig said:
			
		

> Sorry if I seem overly sensitive but after Tuesdays election we feel like an endangered species down here in the states and are now in a fighting mood :warstory: Almost forgot I was talking to a Canadian.


What gave it away, my ability to admit I was wrong?   ;D

So now we're all apologizing to each other over a non-issue. Can't get any more Canadian than that now can it?    Good to see you've retained the characteristic despite all the slagging that's been going on around you.


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## winchable (6 Nov 2004)

You don't even want to know what I really think of satanists.


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## GerryCan (6 Nov 2004)

Could be worse. They could be paying for him to get a sex-change.


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## winchable (27 Jan 2005)

They just payed for a sailor on board the HMS Albion (which was in Halifax recently) to get a breast augmentation (Larger).


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## Big Bad John (27 Jan 2005)

I don't know about Satanists', but I am Druid Reformed!  LOL


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## GerryCan (27 Jan 2005)

Che said:
			
		

> They just payed for a sailor on board the HMS Albion (which was in Halifax recently) to get a breast augmentation (Larger).



So how does that work?  Can Silicone be included in adreps out east?? :blotto:


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## remorazz (16 Apr 2005)

And why can't anyone choose their our religion without having to be treated like an alien?

i'm a sgt    and have been a satanist for 14 years, nobody knows about it because i do not impose MY religion on others...

some of you who still go to your church to pray for your souls, when the night before you were out crap-faced and/or stoned or banging your friends wife.

recommend you read www.churchofsatan.com before making any unintelligent comments on a subject you nothing about.



HS
 >

*Edited to remove an unintelligent comment


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## Trinity (16 Apr 2005)

remorazz said:
			
		

> some of you who still go to your church to pray for your souls, when the night before you were out shit-faced and/or stoned or banging your friends wife.



And thats a good reason FOR them to come to church.  They definately need some
morals preached at them.

I FIRMLY believe...* An attack on one religion is an attack on ALL religion.*

Including Satinism.  I've read about it.  I may not agree in theory with principles
but there is nothing EVIL per say.  I believe I may be safe in saying its more focused
on the individual than on the group.. (but i could be wrong.. it has been a while)

Either way.  If you don't like someone's religion,  tough.


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