Imho in that regard Hedonism is quite similar to Satanism: Both are often very misunderstood due to massive stigmatization and misrepresentation throughout history by "ideological rivals", like more fundamental schools of Christianity where "suffering" is often seen as something necessary for people.

Makes sense from the religious view: Tell people they need to suffer for growth, people keep on suffering looking for a reason behind the suffering, religion offers a reason while at the same time justifying it's own dogma.

Any animal in the wild, that actively goes out of it's way looking for pain and suffering, is an animal that most likely ain't around anymore, yet somehow exactly that behavior is often expected from humans to show their "virtues".

I heard that Satanism was kind of a conflation of biblic character with paganism, the beliefs of the dwellers of the pagos, the country, as opposed to the cities, where Christianism was striving with rulers' support.