Ravings of the feeble - A look at conspiracy and its place in Occult folklore

I recently talked with a poor unfortunate who has been hacked and watched by the government for a number of years. The same old fears. Freedoms of the people trampled on by the Beast 666, Government cronies, and rabid watchdog intelligence agencies latching onto the grief of poverty in an abuse of power. The Kennedy assassination? Secret funding of terrorist Jihad? These things meant nothing to this man. They are as meaningless and terrifying as the Thelemic Pentagram ritual to an evangelical minister.

This man skulks around in a world overwrought with the Shiva eye of Hal that stares down and relays to the buggers of Big Brother his every move. For him, the sudden ‘flipping the bird’ of his prosthetic arm while driving is not only unsettling but profoundly creepy. Is there a reason that his prosthetic arm will shoot the middle finger at random moments and at random people? Did they deserve that affrontal assault? Had they wronged him in some subtle way that only his prosthetic appendage can discern? Sadly no. This poor soul somberly and with voice cracking, told me that his arm is “connected to his cable box, which in turn is monitored by the powers that be.” A weepy occasion. The same scourge of technological prowess that provided his prosthetic also serves as an electronic leash to be manipulated at a whim by anybody with a rotten sense of humor. When I asked what should happen to right these terrible injustices, he screamed in a tone of righteous craziness, “I’m waiting for the lord to clean up this mess!” And there you have it. Jesus vs. technology. The sandal-wearing leper curing heavyweight of the Christian religion is set to deliver such an ass-kicking on the scientific method that we should prepare to hunt and gather with dull spears and communicate in garbled grunts.

And isn’t that the argument of every conspiracy theorist that babbles insanely about the horrors of technology while on their laptop or talking on their phone? Fer Christsakes,  Kaczynski is a blathering idiot. How could somebody who earned advanced degrees and taught at Berkeley suddenly wake up and find himself living like a wino and building bombs in a 5x5 shed in the Montana wilderness? Making wrong turns just doesn’t seem to cover it.

Yet that’s not to say that I don’t welcome conspiracy theory in all its various forms. There is something surprisingly lucid about discordant theories that address all walks of life. At the very least, conspiracy theory requires a prerequisite to ‘think’ and kicks the imagination out of the mundane. There is something to be said about theories that suggest German occultist Rudolph Hess sat across from an Allied working Aleister Crowley and was interrogated while being fed “Mexican brain poison” ie. Mescalin to keep him just enough crazy and terrified to give away the inner workings of the Nazi agenda. Or that revelatory gem that dropped just recently that involves Jackie Kennedy’s personal opinion that Lyndon B. Johnson had a hand in the assassination of JFK.

Jackie Onassis believed that Lyndon B Johnson and a cabal of Texas tycoons were involved in the assassination of her husband John F Kennedy, ‘explosive’ recordings are set to reveal. The secret tapes will show that the former first lady felt that her husband’s successor was at the heart of the plot to murder him. She became convinced that the then vice president, along with businessmen in the South, had orchestrated the Dallas shooting, with gunman Lee Harvey Oswald – long claimed to have been a lone assassin – merely part of a much larger conspiracy.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2023418/Jackie-O-tapes-reveal-JFKs-affairs-believed-death.html#ixzz1V4P30J87

If that doesn’t make modern conspiracy theorists jump up, start rambling incoherently, and run about with arms flailing, it’s time to check them into the ‘I believe everything everybody tell me’ resort for the elderly and misshapen. There is certainly a place for the conspiracy in occult-lore but a proverbial line in the sand must be drawn. After all, only a degenerate would find conspiracy in absolutely everything. But who knows? Maybe they’re all out to get you. And maybe you’re just weird enough to deserve it. Whether we take conspiracy theory with a grain of salt or shrug it off as the ravings of the feeble, the fact remains that it deserves a place in folklore study.   

Epic laws of the occult.

It amazes me how journalists who have no real background or contextual knowledge in the occult choose to write slaphappy articles about occult material. In the old days, if somebody sought to disparage an esoteric group, they were fully aware of the potential for a strong push off a short bridge or a meeting with a rock hurled at fast-ball speed. It was a break neck business. Secrecy was more guarded than the abandoned hangars at Area 51 and with as much force. There’s the line, cross it at your own peril. In the times of the Eleusinian mysteries of ancient Greece, a blabbermouth could likely end up with a mouthful of blood or worse if he disrespected the secrets of initiation. And still to this day, there are those who tread on supernatural ground completely oblivious to the ten foot demon looming behind them with razor-sharp fangs, an ugly disposition, and the propensity to incur real psychological harm just for the sport of it.

On August 2, 2011, reporter Zen Gardner wrote an article about the “11 occult secrets now in the open.” Although the piece was written in a semi-candid style, there was a treacherous undercurrent of maliciousness that seeped out of its pores. Indeed, I felt as though I needed a good shower after reading this sordid piece of fear mongering and inaccuracy. Good old Zen seems to triumphantly assert that he has seen through the veil of occult secrecy and it’s a place of ‘hidden agendas’, clandestine operations, and smug nastiness. Capitalizing on the rumor-panics of the past, the author seeks to undermine occult processes by perpetuating an ‘in the know’ attitude; when in fact, the dirty dingbat probably has no experience with the occult at all. Here’s a summation of his uncovered secrets.

1)      Paradigm shift- We’re entering a vibrational shift over a period of time.

2)      2012 – Many environmental changes.

3)      Emergence of illuminati and occult-based world.

4)      Control of world by freemasons and corporate world.

5)      Zionist agenda.

6)      Vatican assassins.

7)      Human/extraterrestrial – intervention theory.

8)      Religion makes a move to subjugate the masses.

9)      Prevalence of mental-conditioning machine.

10)  Mind control.

11)  The occult fears mainstream world culture.

Even I’m perplexed at the sheer lunacy of some of these assertions. Mind control, a mental-conditioning machine, and Vatican assassins? This author is more paranoid than  Dali lost at Disneyland with a head full of hashish and no map out of toon town. A horrific absurdity. When in fact, the occult is arguably an entity with minimal secrets. In what I call the five epic laws of occult folklore, the arts and sciences of this genre follow distinct patterning and methodology. These laws can be judiciously described as: 1) The law of correspondences 2) The law of contrasts 3) The law of hierarchy 4) The rite of revealing 5) The dying god motif.

The law of correspondences gives form to the magic and mystery of occultic folklore. Participants engage in a highly sophisticated and complex set of symbolic correspondences utilized to glean subtle insights into the cognitive processes of the psyche. It is a method of self-perfection and its goal theophanic realization. Some of these correspondences include pictorial, numerical, and liturgical archetypes used as foundations for belief and disseminated through the teacher/pupil formula.

In the law of contrast, polarity becomes a key concept in understanding the meaning of the narratives. Working with the use of reversals, contrast becomes a way of defining a constituent unit through the association with its opposite. For example, this is the idea behind the Judaic Sephiroth and Qliphoth. According to Judaic mysticism, ten Sephiroth or emanations make up the ‘Tree of Life’. These stages of consciousness represent esoteric growth in the practitioner. Conversely, each Sephiroth also has a Qliphoth or ‘shell’ that acts as an opposite or adversary to its counterpart. Whereas a Sephiroth has a corresponding angel, the Qliphoth has a corresponding demon and so on. There are a plethora of contrasting principles in occult folklore. And most times they are reconciled by a third autonomous entity or principle.

Occult folklore also makes use of the law of hierarchy as a way to define the various steps that elucidate esoteric knowledge. The hierarchy usually begins with a probationary period in which the initiate is not yet a member of the lodge but undergoes a temporary period of purification. In Freemasonry, this time period is called the Entered Apprentice stage. It is a phase of preparation and the duty is to awaken latent powers within. The symbol of this step is one of youth. Its tarot attribution would be The Fool. An initiate beginning the esoteric journey yet full of promise and inherent power. According to Manly Hall, the “Entered Apprentice must realize that his body is the living temple of the living god and treat it accordingly; for when he abuses or mistreats it he breaks the sacred obligations which he must assume before he can ever hope to understand the true mysteries of the craft” (47). During this time period, the fledgling is encouraged proper diet, exercise, and mental preparation. The hierarchal structure accelerates higher and more advanced degrees as the pupil continues his study and ritual.

The law of revealing makes use of an unveiling to instill insights into sacred. Often times, there is a sudden shock that accompanies this unveiling. It is also a way to pass on esoteric knowledge by accentuating the secrecy of initiation. The neophyte is literally in the dark before the secret is passed to him. The law of revealing is a rite. It makes use of ritualism and symbol to emphasize the numinous qualities of the supernatural. Nowhere is the rite of revealing more prevalent than in the mysteries of ancient Eleusis. The mystae, or first-time initiates were blindfolded and made to wander through the dark. Like the goddess Persephone, the initiates themselves suffered the terror of being in the underworld. Michael Cosmopoulos states that, “the Epoptae (advanced initiates) who are waiting outside the Telesterion could see her (Persephone) together with her mother, emerging from the cave precinct where she arose from the underworld. The light that came from within the Telesterion came, I imagine, from the torches that were suddenly lit by the hundreds perhaps thousands of these Epoptae standing on the steps that line the walls of the Telesterion. It was at this moment that the neophytes entered and beheld the image of the reunited goddesses” (2003: 67). The sense of shock that accompanied this revealing was an integral part of the Eleusinian mystery. It both exhibited a sense of awe and imparted an important esoteric teaching.

The dying god motif is nothing new to students of religion and mysticism. From Osiris to Jesus to Hiram Abiff, the idea of dying and being reborn is an essential aspect of occult folklore. We see this in the ritualization of ancient Egypt. Initiates first went through a purification ceremony in which water was used to ready them for their ultimate becoming. When nighttime came, the initiate was dressed in a linen robe never previously worn and led him to the remotest part of the sanctuary or penetralia. The next part of the ceremony is important because it deals with the neophyte going through his symbolic death. By dying to this former life, the man was reborn as a god. According to Robert Turcan, this moment occurred “in the middle of the sanctuary, a platform was set up which the new initiate mounted. When the curtains were drawn, he was revealed ‘like a statue’, crowned with palm-leaves and armed with a torch, for the admiration of the faithful who filed slowly past his feet” (1997: 72). Here we see the rite of revealing leading into the dying god motif. The neophyte was revealed as a statue or more accurately, as a god to his fellow brethren.

When the occult chickens come home to roost, it becomes apparent that though there is secrecy as part of the occult, in no way does that secrecy imply some ‘nefarious agenda’ on the part of the practitioners. However, there are epic laws that govern the ritual and symbol of the occult. These laws largely stem from the past but remain legitimate in modern times. If uninformed journalists want to stick their nose in occult business they are certainly welcome to do so but shouldn’t be surprised when occultists flog them like a mule. So what? It wouldn’t be the first time somebody has received a vicious beat-down for wandering into uncharted depths. In this day and age, we can’t be too careful. The tide is coming in fast.        

New blog- Some Satanism for ya!

Hello my beautiful minions. Here is another blog for you reading pleasure. This one is an article on theistic satanism, followed by a note from management and Mad Doctor Abdullah's editorial response to the previous Satanism article. I should probably tell you that the Mad Doctor is a new writer and editor of Magus Magazine. We've put him on a probational period of 90 days to ascertain whether this crazed beast is potty trained and can get along with civilized society. Personally, I think he's vile and should go back to the jungle. I'll gouge out his eyes if he runs wild or is generally unseemly.

In life one should be like the wolf and stalk business, when one finds the prey weak, wait and be patient then attack with all the skills you have. 

Tom/ CEO   Flagship Media


Addressing our Deity
Some Definitions….Guide to Theistic Satanism for the Serious!
Tenants of Theistic Satanism by The Church of Theistic Satanism.
Temples of Satan Founder Grand Magister Blackwood:

For years people have written me asking if they are appropriate in addressing Satan as some of the following and I have decided to answer a few of these questions to provide a clearer understanding to the Real Satanist.

Our Father: Our Father, is a Christian Salutation, however it is acceptable if one believes that Father Satan had a hand in much of creation, or has been a Father to man’s understanding.
Lets examine Father:

Definitions of Father:
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father); “his father was born in Atlanta”
forefather: the founder of a family; “keep the faith of our forefathers”
`Father’ is a term of address for priests in some churches (especially the Roman Catholic Church or the Orthodox Catholic Church); `Padre’ is frequently used in the military
a person who holds an important or distinguished position in some organization; “the tennis fathers ruled in her favor”; “the city fathers endorsed the proposal”
God when considered as the first person in the Trinity; “hear our prayers, Heavenly Father”
founder: a person who founds or establishes some institution; “George Washington is the father of his country”
beget: make children; “Abraham begot Isaac”; “Men often father children but don’t recognize them”
don: the head of an organized crime family.
So how do any of these fit Satan?
It could be representative of of our founding, and we are the offspring thereof or because of him.
Some other salutations that are often acceptable:
Hail Satan:
Definitions of Hail
acclaim: praise vociferously; “The critics hailed the young pianist as a new Rubinstein”
be a native of; “She hails from Kalamazoo”
call for; “hail a cab”
precipitation of ice pellets when there are strong rising air currents
greet enthusiastically or joyfully
many objects thrown forcefully through the air; “a hail of pebbles”; “a hail of bullets”
precipitate as small ice particles; “It hailed for an hour.
So we find Hail Satan to be greeting the deity enthusiastically.
And of course we all know what Satan is so I will not ramble on, and next we find ourselves often saying Avete Satanas lets define the both of them.
Definitions of Avete:
Refers to Hello in Latin, so Hello Satan is that like Hello Kitty?
Not really some use it in formal greetings of other Satanist’s.
Definitions of satanas:
Satan (Hebrew: הַשָׂטָן ha-Satan (“the accuser”); Persian “sheytân”; Arabic: الشيطان al-Shaitan (“the adversary”) – both from the Semitic root: Ś-Ṭ-N) is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief …
Even though Satan extends further back than Persia or even Abrahamic Religions dare to go, I believe it is an acceptable name for the True Deity, and while he appears throughout History with many names, he is not:
Pan ( a Pagan Woodland God some say is connected but is not.) When reading into the entire story we can easily discredit Pan.
Lucifer (light bringer and Italian God of Light, some people say connected to Christ).
What the construct of Christianity, a fallen angel is not Satan.
Set (was killed later so is not Satan).
Seth ( a version of Set and some people have derived Setan from the verbiage)
Prometheus (a version of Lucifer) Some are enamored with his story, and is similar but open for debate.
Sumerian Scholars suggest the Root of Satanism is more like Nanna (Sin) or Ningazhidda or Shidaaz, the later is relative to the Night and Moon.
But more on that in later articles!
Back to Salutation:
Some people call him Master:
Definitions of Master.
maestro: an artist of consummate skill; “a master of the violin”; “one of the old masters”
overlord: a person who has general authority over others
victor: a combatant who is able to defeat rivals
directs the work of others
headmaster: presiding officer of a school
an original creation (i.e., an audio recording) from which copies can be made
be or become completely proficient or skilled in; “She mastered Japanese in less than two years”
an officer who is licensed to command a merchant ship
overcome: get on top of; deal with successfully; “He overcame his shyness”
someone who holds a Master’s degree from academic institution
dominate: have dominance or the power to defeat over; “Her pain completely mastered her”; “The methods can master the problems”
an authority qualified to teach apprentices
have a firm understanding or knowledge of; be on top of; “Do you control these data?”
passkey: key that secures entrance everywhere
chief(a): most important element; “the chief aim of living”; “the main doors were of solid glass”; “the principal rivers of America”; “the principal example”; “policemen were primary targets”; “the master bedroom”; “a master switch.”
So for those who are claiming Master is like the “slave mentality” nothing is more incorrect.
I often refer it to being a Soldier to Satan:
Definitions of soldier:
an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army; “the soldiers stood at attention”
serve as a soldier in the military
a wingless sterile ant or termite having a large head and powerful jaws adapted for defending the colony
Now some will say this is wrong but in Theistic Satanism, Satan requires an Army of people who understand his world.
Sometimes people speak of following Satan.
Definitions of follower:
a person who accepts the leadership of another.
someone who travels behind or pursues another.
Faith is important to the Deity, I will here define a few more things.
Definitions of deity:
any supernatural being worshiped as controlling some part of the world or some aspect of life or who is the personification of a force.
I refer to the deity to avoid disrespecting other peoples deity, however as a Theistic Satanist we should really not care because it’s our deity the strongest deity and able to destroy the others at will.
But enough!
I will define a few other things Christians like to label and theirs.
Definitions of faith:
religion: a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; “he lost his faith but not his morality”
complete confidence in a person or plan etc; “he cherished the faith of a good woman”; “the doctor-patient relationship is based on trust”
religion: an institution to express belief in a divine power; “he was raised in the Baptist religion”; “a member of his own faith contradicted him”
loyalty or allegiance to a cause or a person; “keep the faith”; “they broke faith with their investors”
Faith is not owned by Abrahamic Religions and for Modern Satanist’s they will rail against those of us who display Faith as they prefer to see things from a Atheistic Intent.
Definitions of religion:
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; “he lost his faith but not his morality”
an institution to express belief in a divine power; “he was raised in the Baptist religion”; “a member of his own faith contradicted him”
Belief in a deity is similar in religions throughout the world and but Theistic Satanism requires some understanding and yet it prevails as the most powerful magic based religion on the planet, I personally am glad people have tried to whittle down its tenants and have attempted to define it as something else, but here it is.
Theism in the broadest sense is the belief in at least one deity. In a more specific sense, theism refers to a particular doctrine concerning the nature of a god and his relationship to the universe, being Theistic is the action thereof.
Some things that are useful in its practice is the arts:
The Art of Meditation:
Definitions of meditation:
continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature; “the habit of meditation is the basis for all real knowledge”
(religion) contemplation of spiritual matters (usually on religious or philosophical subjects).
The Art of Invocation:
Definitions of invocation:
a prayer asking God’s help as part of a religious service
an incantation used in conjuring or summoning a devil
conjuring: calling up a spirit or devil
the act of appealing for help.
The Art of Incantation:
An incantation or incantations are the words spoken during a ritual, either a hymn or prayer invoking or praising a deity, or in magic, occultism, witchcraft with the intention of casting a spell on an object or a person. The term derives from Latin(incantare).
The Art of Spell-Craft
Definitions of Spellcraft:
Spellcraft is the ability to cast and work spells. It is often used to describe the rituals performed by witches, Wiccans, and Neo-pagans. Such instances of spellcraft can require the use of various gems, herbs, incense, candles, colours, meditation, chanting, astrology, and numerology.

The Art of Ritual:
Definitions of ritual:
any customary observance or practice
the prescribed procedure for conducting religious ceremonies
of or relating to or characteristic of religious rituals; “ritual killing”
stereotyped behavior.

The Art of Prayer:
Definitions of prayer:
the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving); “the priest sank to his knees in prayer”
reverent petition to a deity
entreaty: earnest or urgent request; “an entreaty to stop the fighting”; “an appeal for help”; “an appeal to the public to keep calm”
a fixed text used in praying.
someone who prays to a God.
While I pray several times a day, I recommend those in Theistic Satanism to pray at least once a day and thank Satan for many different things, including guidance, it is necessary to become Spiritual with Satan.
Definitions of spiritual:
religious: concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church; “religious texts”; “a member of a religious order”; “lords temporal and spiritual”; “spiritual leaders”; “spiritual songs”
concerned with or affecting the spirit or soul; “a spiritual approach to life”; “spiritual fulfillment”; “spiritual values”; “unearthly love”
lacking material body or form or substance; “spiritual beings”; “the vital transcendental soul belonging to the spiritual realm”-Lewis Mumford
a kind of religious song originated by Blacks in the southern United States
apparitional: resembling or characteristic of a phantom; “a ghostly face at the window”; “a phantasmal presence in the room”; “spectral emanations”; “spiritual tappings at a seance”
While people often think they are being spiritual they sometimes as not, I would have to contemplate being spiritual as an Art or The Art of Spirituality.
This can stem from faith as well and could be formed from prayer and or ritual.
Messages come clearly to those with Faith or Spirituality and slow for those not immersed in such.
Now comes the age old question as to where does the Theistic Satanist’s go when they die?
After long hours of research I surmise that we are reborn over and over because we are comprised of energy, however some people do think we have past lives, but I have a theory while some seem to be precognitive of a past life, we cannot control where we go or who be return as, because our essence which is comprised of energy is uncontrollable at death.
So we a merely a husk that contains an energy that can prosper or fail based on our level of Faith or Spirituality and the stronger we are the better chance we have to survive beyond our bodies.
We should do as can while we are in our bodies and in order to work from beyond our bodies we require a certain level of internal faith to push us path the throes of death and into our next lives serving Satan, while his plan may or may not be complete we do not move along like “Lab Rats” in some experiment we move along as travelers and we chart our own futures by actions of Faith while our energy lives.
One does not have to be rich or well to do to thrive around the deity, just have Faith he understands we all have a mission, a place and no matter how downtrodden you become you must rise up and realize there is a better place and perhaps a better life somewhere in your future, so no matter how low you feel you can never loose your faith.

Hail Satanist’s!
Grand Magister Blackwood 

 

POSTSCRIPT:

I should let the rabid readers of this grotesque abomination know that I purposefully included the previous article unedited and in its entirety. Wanting to capture both the essence and idiosyncrasies of the author’s POV, it was felt that the passion of the article would be compromised if subjected to heavy alterations. And because I’m the lead editor of this outfit, I can do that.

                                                            -Management-

PSS- Urinating on the floor of the lavatory will not be tolerated and is subjected to immediate dismissal. My god people, puddles of stench are simply below the bar. Do I have to get you all litter boxes?

                                                                                    Yours sincerely,                                                                                                                        Mad Doctor Abdullah.

EDITORIAL RESPONSE TO ‘MODERN SATANISM’: 

            Upon inclusion of Tom’s article on theistic Satanism, I was fortunate enough to interview a group of Satanists that provided a much needed contextual understanding of the movement. Contrary to popular belief, I never even saw the fangs. The evil eye must have been closed and I got not a hint of anti-Christian jabbering or that steely look that directly precludes a beating. They all seemed relatively coherent and even sane by my standards. But that’s not saying much, I’d interview an iguana if I thought it would say something instructive about the occult or at the very least, teach me to catch flies with my tongue. Or is that a frog? It doesn’t matter now but these Satanists have got me so discombobulated with the idea of a rational Satanism that I’m beginning to wonder how I missed the exodus or mass evolution of an entire ideology that’s been hated since the beginning of time. I must be slipping.

            Now I know what you’re thinking, “Jesus God! Have you no shame? Are you absolutely intent on making whatever fabric of divinity that’s in your soul a spiritual roadkill? Are you mad?” But you don’t understand. According to my interviewees, there are over 200 sects of modern Satanism and some are even atheistic. Modern Satanism offers a veritable smorgasbord of anti-conformist ideas and even a health plan to boot. In fact, the Laveyans (based on the ethos of one Anton Lavey) are one of the few groups that actually embrace traditional satanic imagery. Many Satanists have left the horns, pitchfork, and premodern Bacchic or Pan motifs on the side of HWY 666. Still others will assert that God doesn’t exist and the fun is in “opposing the people that support him.” (Informant interview 2011) When I asked whether not believing in an all-powerful deity is closer to atheism or even existentialism, and that these Satanists are not even Satanists, I was prepared for a verbal or maybe physical lashing to show how evil they can really be. But alas! No such abuse occurred. What I found was a surprisingly lucid and rational group of people that spoke of self-empowerment.

            Many modern Satanic ideas beg of perfection of the Self and individualism. Because of the taboos still associated with Satanic ideology, many adherents strive to stay ‘underground’ or away from the limelight. One informant stated that, “LHP is a singular path, only you can do what is best for you.” (Informant interview 2011) Now that doesn’t seem monstrous to me. It doesn’t even sound all-that controversial. However, some Satanists do consider themselves occult and even practice magic to achieve personal growth. These theistic Satanists use ritual and belief to “bring themselves out of the abyss”. (Ibid) In this regard, Satanism is not about evil. It’s about promoting the Self above good and evil.

            Now I know that these ideas are comparable to Crowley’s Thelema and even find it ironic that modern Satanists seek to “bring themselves out of the abyss” whereas Crowley used every conceivable method to get lost within it. Makes me wonder whether Crowley was a true Satanist and modern Satanism a product of Thelemic metaphysics. But if I wander along that line of thinking, I’m apt to entertain the idea that Satanists are really Luciferian Christians or Satanic Christians. And that’s just too damn confusing without a bottle of wine or codeine. After all, one of my interviewees did state that Satanists are more “almost Christian” whereas Thelemites say, “Fuck you! I will do whatever I damn well please.” And maybe that’s the point. Maybe the near-Christian ritualization and use of reversals provides a structure that Thelema has yet to adopt.

Aside from the fact that Thelemites do embrace Crowley’s formulas and operations into magic; and that some of these operations are so maddeningly complex they drive a novice into hysterics, maybe there is room for discussion between the two camps. I would obviously disagree and warn anybody that putting these two groups together in the same room is akin to releasing two starved wolverines onto a pack of chickens. It’s not gonna matter who or what is said, only that feathers are gonna fly and screeching is going to occur. What a bloodbath! I hate to think of the aftermath of such a meeting. Deep psychological damage. Maybe an audience between these groups could be civilized if a mediator maintains order. In the likeness of a referee or umpire, bets could be placed and a point spread established. The two combatants stand nose to nose at the weigh in and jostle some, “I’m gonna get you sucka!” at their opponents. Sweet Jesus! I’m babbling about a title bout between Satanism and Thelema and nobody has the good sense to throw a rotten tomato at the very least. In summing up, it occurs to me that modern Satanism is surprisingly rational and maybe more importantly, concerned with reason. An empowerment of the Self is an honorable goal for anyone and from what I’ve deduced based on my very limited experience with Satanic ideology, the movement is wrought with positivity and love among its members. Maybe Satanism gets a bad rap and should be reevaluated based on belief study and community.