Christianity, Satanism, and Paganism offer substantially different interpretations of the concepts of good and evil in terms of the inner dualism of man.

Diverse Dualisms: Contrasting Visions of Good and Evil in Spiritual Tr

Christianity, Satanism, and Paganism offer substantially different interpretations of the concepts of good and evil in terms of the inner dualism of man.

In the Christian worldview, as noted in source link txt, good is considered absolute since the entire world is the creation of an all-benevolent God, and evil is defined as the result of a departure from this source. Here, evil does not possess an independent ontological substance but is a consequence of losing the connection with the Absolute Good (“Since in this chain of concepts evil appears as... evil, lacking a substantial foundation, – non-being (me-on)”). At the same time, as emphasized in source link txt, Christianity also draws attention to the power of darkness and the strength of the evil spirit; however, even these forces that contribute to the manifestation of evil ultimately depend on good, attesting to a delicate balance within the dualistic struggle between light and darkness.

In contrast, Satanism rejects the traditional categories of good and evil, treating them as inventions of “weak” people. As mentioned in source link txt, Satanism is based on natural human instincts and regards moral categories as fantasies devoid of objective significance. In this context, internal dualism does not manifest as a struggle between good and evil; rather, the unique approach of Satanism is that a person acts by satisfying his natural desires without being constrained by traditional moral labels.

Paganism, according to the analysis in source link txt, emerged from man’s false self-determination when he sought to become “like the gods.” This path of transformation gave rise to a cult of the material and the flesh, leading to a distorted understanding of the higher purpose. Here, dualism manifests not so much as a struggle between absolute good and evil as a perverse aspiration for a superconscious state, which in turn results in mystical paganism. Thus, Paganism views the problem of good and evil through the lens of man’s quest for self-assertion and the search for power, which ultimately leads to the loss of the true spiritual ideal.

Supporting citation(s):
"Since in this chain of concepts evil appears as a kind of generic (sin, suffering, and death are evaluated as evil), it is necessary to focus on the question of the nature of evil, its ontological foundations, and ultimate destinies. ... Evil is the consequence of falling away from Him." (source: link txt)

"Satanism is a kind of 'controlled egoism' and is based on 'natural human instincts.' ... Lavay rejects the Christian concept of good and evil. In his doctrine, there are only 'natural instincts,' and good and evil are the fantasies of 'weak' people." (source: link txt)

"The main cause of its emergence is man’s false self-determination. ... Pride, man’s attempt to replace God, and the aspiration for superconsciousness and higher pleasures give rise to the most refined form of paganism – the mystical." (source: link txt)

Thus, the reflections of these three directions outline the inner dualism of man in different ways: Christianity sees it as a struggle between genuine spiritual light and the shadow born of distancing oneself from God, Satanism as a liberation from conventional moral constraints, and Paganism as a distortion of the true spiritual path resulting from false self-determination.