u/Pavotimtam

Sorry if this just sounds like a lazy “explain like I’m 5” but I really don’t know if I’m thinking about this correctly.

I always sort of assumed Lucifer and Satan (or Baphomet, the Devil, etc) were all just names or colloquialisms for the same figure: an adversary that “fell” and is starting to be seen instead as a revealer of knowledge and promoter of free will.

I only recently (past few years) delved a bit deeper and found that Lucifer is actually quite unique in a lot of ways. Not only was he never really described or depicted the same way as your horned Satan or Devil, he seemingly originated in text as a personification of Venus as the morning/evening star. So there, I thought I had cracked it, Lucifer and Satan may well be different.

I then learnt about occultism and consequently, these communities of Luciferians, Satanists, and many more. Though now I have another dilemma, I just found out that Theistic Satanists are apparently NOT worshippers/devotees etc of the Devil and instead that title goes to those who are called Diabolaters or Diabolists.

So here’s how I also find out that the Devil which I thought at the very least referred more generally to the commonly depicted Satan, is actually different? Or a title for multiple individuals/forms of this being? Along with that, I have no idea if the figure of Baphomet even comes into all this at all lol. I know he (he?) seems related to alchemy more than anything but I’m not entirely sure.

So once and for all, even if it is a sort of fluid or changing subject that might not have one definitive answer, what are the differences between Satan, the Devil, Lucifer, and even Baphomet? What might Luciferians, theistic Satanists, and Diabolaters do/believe differently? I get the idea from reading a few posts that a lot of people here might identify as most or all of these labels at the same time too, so that’s interesting!

Sorry if this was a wall of text, but thank you so much for any insight

When I first started working at my first job ever, currently approaching a year of being there, I was very self-conscious and worried that I was extremely visibly awkward and not good at customer service.

I still struggle with some social anxiety and what I THOUGHT was awkwardness….. but it turns out maybe I’m less assuming than I could have ever imagined because for the love of whatever retail god that has abandoned us out of fear of its creation, fate has put me up to face the absolute most bizarre and oblivious members of society.

From piss-scented wizards of strange, far-away dimensions to genuine serial killers in the making, the vast and colourful spectrum of humanity is on display CONVENIENTLY when I have to clock in :D

I’ve more or less stopped feeling anything when the typical rampaging senilesaurus attempts to consume whatever remains of my soul through judgement and general misery, whereas when I started I’d just kinda cry after they left.

HOWEVER, what has replaced the tears of the innocent new worker, unaware of the cruelty of man, is pure confusion and disgust.

Like WHY sir, are you leaving mysteriously marked underwear on the fitting room table, presumably having swapped them out with an unpaid specimen of our stock? You silly thing you.

WHY small child, are you covering your (unpaid for) slime ball in layers of unspeakable grime and lint, only to have it fused within the texture of the popcorn ceiling when you decide you’re bored? Oh small one, don’t you know that the Old Ones will rein chaos upon you for your disrespect of the sacred ooze?

For what sin am I being punished for, that requires the existential dread of being cornered by a man of eye-watering scent, having my home address enquired upon? I DO NOT WISH TO BE HARVESTED TODAY PLEASE GO ELSEWHERE

anyways, definitely work for retail its a great experience and you will never once question the nature of your being on any shift 🌹