The Left-Hand Path is a controversial form of new Esoteric spirituality, often labeled Satanic, and often perceived as entertaining right-wing political sympathies. It is therefore important to note that two of the most prominent Left-Hand Path groups—the Temple of Set and Dragon Rouge—foster animal rights ideologies, something which is generally considered leftist. Animal rights ideology would seem to be a less than perfect fit with the epistemological individualism, goals of self-deification, and antinomian approaches to predominant religious culture—fundamental elements in Left-Hand Path philosophies. It has nonetheless become an integral part of both the Temple of Set and Dragon Rouge. In this article I examine the manifestations and possible reasons for the rise of the apparent paradox of animal rights ideologies in the Left-Hand Path.
University of California Press