Foundational Documents

Our values are meant to inform each other and work in unison. We each practice these values in the way that best resonates with ourselves, while maintaining the overall spirit of non-theistic Satanism.

Integrity

We seek to act with integrity, consistently making choices based on thoughtfully considered principles, both our own and those we share with others.

Knowledge

We strive to learn and expand our understanding of the world and ourselves, to question our own and others' beliefs and assertions. We pursue the best evidence possible and let this evidence guide us. We re-evaluate our positions based on new information. We eschew dogma, propaganda, and superstition.

Inviolability

We hold that every person has the inviolable right to control their own body and decisions, to resist coercion and external control, and live freely according to their true selves and desires. We consider the impact of our actions on the world around us, recognizing this responsibility is part of respecting the autonomy of others.

Empathy

We embrace empathy by treating ourselves and others with understanding and compassion. We recognize that everyone makes mistakes, strive to acknowledge and rectify when we are wrong, and make space for others to do the same. We commit to creating an environment of respect, communal support, and mutual aid.

Community

We value building an empathetic, compassionate, and respectful community. We create community through activism, open discussion, shared rituals, understanding, and mutual support. We strive to transcend traditional barriers and foster an environment in which all members, regardless of background, may find understanding and acknowledgment.

Justice

We hold justice as a guiding principle in our actions, decisions, and deeds. We believe all individuals have intrinsic value and require fair and equitable treatment. We demonstrate our commitment by acting for change in our local communities and the wider world.

Resisting Arbitrary Authority

We reject the unjust or inequitable use of authority. We value transparency; holding those in power accountable for their decisions and actions. We take action to ensure people in power are leading with empathy, integrity, knowledge, and respect for autonomy.

1. Code of Conduct 

All members regardless of membership level are required to abide by the CoC and uphold our Values.

2. Respectful and Polite Discourse

We are all one community and should assume best intentions when dealing with other members. Members shall engage in respectful and polite discourse at all times. Disagreements and discussions shall be conducted in a constructive and productive manner. Personal attacks, derogatory language, and intentionally hostile interactions are not tolerated. 

3. Inclusivity and Diversity

ILSC is committed to promoting inclusivity and diversity. Discrimination, harassment, hate speech, or exclusion based on any legally protected class in Illinois is unacceptable and is not tolerated. ILSC is a welcoming environment for all.

4. Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. This includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that creates a hostile or offensive environment. Members shall respect the boundaries and consent of others at all times. 

5. Protection of Privacy

Doxxing, outing, or revealing personal information about any member, to anyone either within or outside the Congregation, is strictly forbidden. Members shall respect the privacy and anonymity of all individuals.

6. Media and Public Interaction 

No individual shall speak on behalf of ILSC without congregation approval.

7. Conflict of Interest

ILSC members must report any conflict of interest they hold with respect to: 

• Competing and/or incompatible membership in other organizations, 

• Ownership or partial ownership of 

  • Competing organizations 

  • Third party entities contracted and/or affiliated with ILSC, 

• Ideological incompatibilities with respect to ILSC’s Values or Code of Conduct 

The Board shall maintain a Conflict of Interest Policy which provides guidance on what constitutes a Conflict of Interest, how conflicts shall be reported, and how they shall be evaluated and addressed.

8. Conflict Resolution

Members are encouraged to resolve issues amicably and with mutual respect. Escalation to the Conflict Resolution Committee should occur when necessary and after reasonable attempts at direct resolution have been made. The Conflict Resolution Committee may engage the Ethics Committee as deemed necessary. 

9. Commitment to Ethical Behavior

Members are expected to act with integrity and uphold ethical standards in all interactions and activities. This includes honesty, transparency, and accountability in all dealings related to ILSC. 

10. Participation and Engagement

Members are encouraged to be active in the congregation and contribute in good faith while participating in activities including but not limited to discussion, surveys, events, etc.

11. Avoidance of Internal Conflict of Interest and Abuse of Authority 

Members should be ready to recuse themselves from any situation involving a romantic, familial, or business partner to avoid conflict of interests or abuse of authority.

12. Reporting Violations

Any violations of this Code of Conduct should be reported to the Ethics Committee. Reports will be handled confidentially and with the utmost seriousness to ensure the safety and integrity of all members. 

13. Whistleblower Policy

ILSC protects individuals who report misconduct, ensuring confidentiality and protection from retaliation.

14. Disciplinary Actions

Violations of this Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action. Depending on the severity and nature of the violation, consequences may include, but are not limited to: 

• Verbal or written warnings

• Temporary suspension from ILSC activities 

• Removal from committees and/or the board 

• Permanent expulsion 

Disciplinary actions will be determined by the Ethics committee following a fair and thorough investigation of the reported violation. 

By adhering to this Code of Conduct, members of the Illinois Satanic Collective commit to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and professional community. Together, we strive to uphold the values of non-theistic Satanism and contribute positively to the community at large.

1) Getting Members

All prospective members must apply through the ILSC website contact form. The Membership Committee will reach out to the prospective member with a questionnaire to be filled out. Upon receipt of the completed questionnaire the Committee will then schedule an interview. After the interview the Membership Committee will conduct a background check through Open Source Intelligence Gathering (OSINT) of public information. Upon passing the background check and approval by the Membership Committee prospective members will be notified and their probationary period will begin. During this period they will be paired with a “Beelzebuddy” (mentor) to guide them through the probationary process. At the end of the probationary period, the prospective member will have a follow-up interview, take a short quiz on the Membership Handbook, and select a membership type.

2) Membership Types 

All members of any type must be over age 18 and reside within the state of Illinois (except for Emeritus members). Some events may have higher age requirements to attend. Based on what membership type a prospective member identifies with, they may select Full, Ally, or Adjacent at the end of their probationary period as long as they meet the requirements of that type.

• Probationary Members

  • Have completed the interview process 

  • Have yet to fulfill requirements for the probationary period

  • Have limited access to Discord

  • Are permitted to attend events unless stated otherwise in event

• Full Members 

  • Have completed the interview process

  • Have fulfilled requirements of the probationary period

  • Have full access to Discord

  • Are permitted to attend events

  • Self-identify as a Satanist

  • Have accepted the stated Values of ILSC

  • Can be on committees and vote 

  • Can hold leadership positions (chair or Board)  

  • Can be nominated for Ministership

  • Can serve as a chair of a committee 

• Ally Members

  • Have completed the interview process

  • Have fulfilled requirements of the probationary period 

  • Have full access to Discord

  • Are permitted to attend events

  • Are members of a competing organization or not self-identified as Satanists

  • Have accepted the stated Values of ILSC 

  • Can be on committees and vote 

  • Cannot hold leadership positions (chair or Board) 

  • If desired can, upon application, move up to Full Member 

• Adjacent Members

  • Have completed the interview process 

  • Have fulfilled requirements of probationary period

  • Have limited access to Discord

  • Are permitted to attend events unless stated otherwise in event

  • Are not self-identified as Satanists

  • Have accepted the stated Values of ILSC

  • Cannot be on committees or vote 

  • Cannot hold leadership positions (chair or Board) 

  • If desired can, upon application after a year, move up to Ally or Full Member 

• Emeritus Members

  • Are former members, in good standing, now residing outside of Illinois wishing to retain the privileges of their membership level

  • Cannot be on committees or vote 

  • Cannot hold leadership positions (chair or Board) 

3) Becoming a Member

The process of becoming a member includes:

• An initial interview 

  • The interview shall be conducted by members of the Membership Committee, leadership (chairs or Board), and/or Ministry 

    • New interviewers shall be note takers three times with three different interviewers if possible before leading an interview

  • Interviewers shall follow a script of questions and take notes

  • Interviewers can ask follow up questions and add questions to the script as they see fit

  • Notes shall be presented to the entirety of the Membership Committee

• A background check (OSINT)

  • This process shall check into the applicant's social media and online presence

  • Examine public criminal databases for disqualifying convictions such as

    • Sexual assault

    • Hate crimes

    • Other crimes of violence 

  • Look for items that can verify the person's identity is real and they are who they say they are 

• A probationary period 

  • This is a three month period during which the probationer:

    • Collects a mix of the below to total three, with at least one of each (i.e. one event and two people to vouch)

      • Attend sanctioned in person or online events, or 

      • Get members to vouch for them in terms of contributing actions to further the Collective’s goals such as offering ideas, and/or helping facilitate events

    • Actively participates on Discord

  • During the probationary period, the probationer will be assigned a “Beelzebuddy” 

    • The Beelzebuddy is a point of contact, someone to report event attendance to, ask questions of, provide guidance, relay confidential questions and concerns

  • At the end of the probationary period, the probationer will 

    • Complete an open-book quiz on information in the handbook to ensure familiarity with it

    • Complete an informal follow-up interview to give feedback on the probationary process, the Collective’s Values, and express any other concerns or questions they may have 

    • Acknowledge receipt of the handbook and agree to abide by the code of conduct 

    • Select Full, Ally, or Adjacent membership level based on how they identify and requirements of that level

4) Keeping up Membership

• Dues

  • Members (except probationary) are asked to pay dues ($6/mo $66/year)

    • Empathetic Exemption can be requested at any time. This exemption is for more than just financial hardships. Any aspect of a member's unique situation that interferes qualifies, and that need not be shared. This request can be made to a member of the Board or to a Minister.  

    • Dues do not guarantee membership. Membership is predicated on adherence to the Code of Conduct. Dues are considered a donation and are collected to further the Collective's goals. 

• Engagement survey

  • Members shall respond to a yearly engagement survey

    • A member who does not respond to the survey will be contacted.

      • If there is no reply after three attempts, that member will be temporarily assigned to inactive member status.

      • Members can self-assign a member role on Discord to regain active status. 

5) Dual Membership

• Members of ILSC who are also members of any other religious organization (such as The Catholic Church or The Satanic Temple) cannot be full members and can only be Ally Members or Adjacent Members.

  • For religious organizations where it is difficult or impossible to officially remove yourself from the membership list, such as The Catholic Church or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church A.K.A. Mormons), self identifying as no longer a member is sufficient.

6) Ministry 

• Nomination

  • Prospective ministers must be nominated by a full member

    • The nomination shall consist of a nomination letter highlighting the reasons the nominee is a good candidate for Ministership, and shall be presented to the Board members

    • The Board shall approach the nominee to confirm acceptance of their nomination,

    • The nomination shall be brought to the whole Collective for a vote indicating “enthusiastic and vocal consent” with 66.6% approval

    • Upon acceptance the nominee becomes a prospective Minister and shall start training

    • Upon rejection, the nominee shall not be considered again for a period of at least six months

• Training

  • Training program will include topics such as 

    • Duties, expectations, and requirements of the Minister 

    • History and philosophy of Satanism 

    • Rituals; performance and creation thereof 

  • Full breadth of the training shall be established by the Ministry and updated regularly 

• Expectations and requirements  

  • Prospective Ministers will serve as an Acolyte for a period of 6 months after completion of the training program, then become full Minister upon acceptance of Ministry and collective after another vote with at least 66.6% approval

  • Ministers are not a higher “class” of members. All rules and expectations that apply to members apply to Ministers, in addition to the expectations and requirements of Ministership as established by the Ministry 

ILSC Code of Conduct will be the main reference document used by the Ethics Committee to determine if a violation has occurred.

It is imperative that members work out any conflicts that occur amongst themselves. If a matter cannot be resolved, the Conflict Resolution Committee steps in to help resolve issues on a case by case basis. The Conflict Resolution Committee may engage the Ethics Committee as it deems necessary. The following warning and progressive discipline system will be used by the Ethics Committee. Members can always report an ethics violation directly to the Ethics Committee. Committee chairs are required to report any ethics violations they discover to the Ethics Committee.

The Ethics Committee will have an odd number of members from a minimum of 3 to a maximum 9.  They shall be voting members of ILSC in good standing who apply to and are approved by the Board. The Board will try as much as possible to appoint a diverse committee. The Ethics Committee will elect a Chair from amongst themselves. The Ethics Committee Chair will not be a member of the Board.

Members will submit concerns and appeals through the established Discord ticket system until such a time as all members have access to the Google environment and a system is set up in that environment. 

The Ethics Committee will meet quarterly unless summoned by the submission of a concern.

This process reflects ILSC’s commitment to our Values of Community, Justice, Empathy, and Integrity. 

Types of Violations and Severity

The Rules Committee has identified some major violations to the Code of Conduct. Those violations are as follows:

• Any type of abuse towards anyone (physical, emotional, verbal, mental, financial, sexual, criminal, etc.)

• Misgendering or misusing pronouns on purpose or with malicious intent

• Intimidation, coercion, and/or bullying

• Breach of confidentiality - distributing internal materials externally, and/or using personal or intellectual property without explicit consent. Internal materials include, but are not limited to:

  • Conversations

  • Photos

  • Organizational documents

  • Locations and addresses of events or rituals

  • Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

• Harassment - including, but not limited to: 

  • Excessive Discord @ tagging

  • Excessive or unwanted direct messaging or unwanted contact of any kind

  • Brigading or rallying a group against an individual, including whisper campaigns 

• Doxxing violations - including, but not limited to:

  • Real identities - faces and names

  • Personal and professional relationships of any kind

  • Locations and addresses

  • Personal workplaces and residences

Major violations means a loss of trust in the member and/or a need to turn the event/infraction over to the proper authorities.

Minor violations are outside of the above listed. These can also include behavior listed as major violations but are found to be done accidentally, through misunderstanding, or without malice. 

Repeat violations are any minor or major violation that continues to occur after the offender has been counseled by the Ethics Committee.

Corrections

Violations of the Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action. Depending on the severity and nature of the violation, consequences may include but are not limited to: 

• Verbal or written warnings

• Temporary suspension from ILSC activities and/or return to probationary status 

• Removal from committees and/or the Board 

• Permanent expulsion 

Disciplinary actions will be determined by the Ethics Committee following a fair and thorough investigation of the reported violation. 

Repeat Offenders

The Ethics Committee will keep track of all violations. The Ethics Committee will take into account the facts of the current situation and may take into account the relevant history of all parties involved. Corrective actions will be decided on a case by case basis, and may include any of the corrections listed above. Whenever possible, the Ethics Committee will try to issue corrective actions on a progressive basis, giving offenders an opportunity to grow and learn.

Appeals Process

Appeals may be made to the Board by any party involved in the situation. Appeals should be made in writing, stating a compelling reason why the case should be reviewed and must be made within 30 days after the decision of the Ethics Committee. The Board will review the written appeal and decide on its merit. The Board will make a decision on any appeal within 14 days of its receipt. Appeals can be made regarding either the decision or the corrective action decided on by the Ethics Committee. The decision made as a result of the appeals process is final. 

Concerns Processing Flow

• A concern is submitted to the Ethics Committee (EC) through the prescribed method.

• Within 72 hours a member of the EC will “pick up” the concern and acknowledge receipt of the concern to the submitter.

• The committee member who “picks up” the ticket will become the primary point of contact (PoC) for that concern and will be responsible for coordinating the committee’s response to that concern.

  • The PoC is responsible for communicating with the submitter, gathering information from all parties, scheduling EC meeting(s), and writing the final report. The PoC may delegate or take volunteers from the EC to distribute this work load. 

• The PoC shall contact the rest of the EC to schedule a meeting to go over the concern.

• While the rest of the EC is picking a date for the meeting the PoC or their delegate will start gathering information from all parties involved in the concern.

  • The PoC or their delegate is responsible for keeping thorough notes of all information gathered. This information should be kept within the ILSC Google environment whenever possible.

  • All parties involved should only communicate with the PoC or their delegate, no other members of the EC should contact or be contacted by the parties involved.

  • Upon the request of any party involved, the PoC that they are communicating with can be substituted for any reason.

• Within 2 weeks of the initial date of submission the EC should meet in a private Discord/Zoom/Google meet session to discuss the facts of the concern and make a decision. 

  • The EC will try their best to resolve all concerns within that 2 week timeline but if outside factors or a complex situation requires it, that timeline may be extended at the discretion of the EC.

  • If the timeline does need to be extended, all parties involved should be informed of the new expected resolution timeline before the 2 week timeline expires.

• The EC will come to a majority consensus on the appropriate action and resolution. That decision will be written by the PoC and signed by all members of the EC who are in agreement.

  • The decision will include what the corrective action will be, how the EC came to that decision, and why they came to that decision. 

  • Any members who are not in agreement with the majority may write a dissenting opinion and any members in agreement with that dissent may sign on to that dissent. 

  • The majority consensus and the dissenting opinion, if any, will be presented to all parties involved. These documents are critical information if any party wishes to appeal.

• Any party involved may appeal the decision of the EC within 30 days of the final decision.

  • The party requesting the appeal should submit a request to the ILSC Board outlining the reason(s) they wish the Board to review the decision.

  • The request should be as detailed as possible and include the decision document and dissent document if any.

  • The Board will make a decision on any appeal within 14 days of its receipt. 

  • Appeals can be made regarding the decision and/or the corrective action decided on by the Ethics Committee. 

  • The decision made as a result of the appeals process is final.

• DON’T BE A JACKASS SO WE DON’T NEED TO DO THIS SHIT!

  • Nobody actually wants to do this

  • Seriously… DON’T!