Left Hand Path

When it comes to religion, and especially the occult, it becomes very useful to utilize the 'left hand path'/'right hand path' classification system. These systems primarily deal with the intent of a religious or philosophical practice.

=Right Hand Path= In order to understand what the Left Hand Path is, it is often necessary to understand what it is not. The Right Hand Path generally encompasses one or more of the following traits:


 * Faith
 * Collectivism/denial of the self
 * 'Unbounded' altruism
 * Subservience to external forces

As such, religions like Christianity and Islam are classified as Right Hand Path.

=Left Hand Path= As opposed to the Right Hand Path, the Left Hand Path tends to focus on the individual, free thought, proportional retaliation, and self-reliance or self-deification. Keep in mind that not all philosophies--on either side of this divide--will adhere to all of these traits; this is more of a generalization of the LHP and RHP.

Philosophical Roots

 * Ragnar Redbeard
 * Max Stirner
 * Alleister Crowly
 * Anton LaVey
 * Friedrich Nietzsche
 * Ayn Rand

Satanism

 * Church of Satan
 * Temple of Set

Luciferianism

 * Church of Lucifer
 * Ordo Luciferi