I wasn't going to respond to this but here goes-
Anyone who doesn't like me for who I am is no friend of mine and can go pound salt.
Seems like to me it wouldn't be much of a loss.

Part of the problem then is how did that e-mail end up where he was in a position to read it?

From a PM i sent to someone, it was at a lan. Through another fellow conspirator.

My point is that i am very close to this person and i wanted to tell him when it was time. The thing is now is that he's not really hurt but rather is having a hard time understanding why i didn't just tell him. He doesn't actually care what i believe in, he merely stated that it's hard to be a good friend when you're not just a little transparent. Which i would say i agree with.

Years ago one of my friends 'found god', took his worldly possessions to the beach and destroyed them with a circle of his new peers.

While not exactly the same experience, it is a change nonetheless.

It was his business and I didn't question him about it. Eventually he drifted into his new lifestyle and we no longer communicate.

A lot of very high minded , principled & idealistic replies to this one !

To me the fella was asking how to avoid a potential conflict with a childhood friend over something he sees no need for a conflict about which to me is as wise as not broadcasting your pin number , tugging a lions tail or inviting suffering into your life in any other way .

Its all well & good saying "if hes a true friend bla bla" but none of you appear to consider an existence different to yours if indeed you cant ever remember a time before you were a COS member .

LaVey is quoted left right & centre if not on this thread but elsewhere yet I see no one championing his principles such as timing , direction balance etc to create a beneficial result .

I suppose its proof in its self that we are born Satanists because Charlie D appears to be hesitating about inflicting his will on his situation even if he doesn't know what how or why .

Years down the line he very well may be as cut throat as the rest of us but I for now enjoy viewing such naivety & to add it to my repertoire of human traits will , if not come in handy for misdirecting an enemy in the future , will at least make me feel like I have polished an old & forgotten skill .

I'm starting to sound like the cat among the pigeons now so I'll leave it at that before I needlessly offend .

I know this sounds like some of the other posts but:
If someone does not want to be your friend because of your religion they are not a friend. My girlfriend is christian and when I told her I was satanist she was shocked but she was ok with it because she loves me and I love her. Religion only gets in the way if one of you pushes it in your path.

I think many of us have "lost" what we thought was friends! I just came right out one day, and laid it down, and all that didnt like could turn away, cause it was my life and my choice!

Im 43 yrs young,i have been a satanist 31yrs,they said i would grow out of it. well now im married have been for 18yrs i have a child 17,a good job,great family(inlaws included).who all kmow that i am very proud to be a satanist. and i live in the bible belt,so just be glad that you are now awake to true knowlege. HS.

Honestly that doesn't sound like much of a problem at all!
By that I mean, the fact that he's only upset that you didn't tell him directly, not the fact that you're not a believer of the thing that he believes.