I have NEVER understood this claim that LaVey was in it for the money. Aside from the obvious fact already stated that there's nothing wrong with being materialistic (hellloooo: we're Satanists!), you don't need an MBA to realize that charging one-time membership fees isn't exactly the most lucrative move for an organization.
Ever join a gym? Or pay for a phone service? Do they charge a one-time fee for the rest of your life? Of course not. I've seen other organizations (Mensa, American Atheists, etc.) that have the option of lifetime membership for a price, and it's sure higher than a couple hundred bucks. My guess is that most of the people who complain about this stuff have probably never paid for anything in their lives that didn't involve a cash register.
And are people so dumb that they can't do the math here? Let's see: if you joined today for $200, then after being in the organization for 10 years, it will have cost you $20 a year, or about $1.67 per month. And it keeps on going down with each passing day. If that's supposed to be a scam, well then it's a really lame one. Of course, if Satanism is not something that you can imagine being a part of your life 10 years from now, then why even call yourself a Satanist to begin with?
_________________________
Reverend Bill M.
http://www.devilsmischief.com: Carnal Comedy Clips, Netherworld Novelty Numbers,
New hour every week. Download the mp3 now!
http://www.aplaceformystuff.org: Tales of Combat Clutter and other Adventures
(Wenn du Google's Übersetzer verwendest, um diese Worte zu lesen, dann bist du ein Arschloch.)