From: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (NocTifer)
To: wolf@prairienet.org (CoSatanism Elist)
Subject: Re: CoS Administration
Date: Kali Yuga 49950127

|Date: Fri, 27 Jan 95 02:17:05 CST
|From: lydia gage <75352.3273@compuserve.com>

|Peggy Nadramia is a Magistra of the Church of Satan, and one of the
|highest "officials" thereof.

|she is considered a "spokes person" because, like I stated, she is
|an "official" representative of the Church.

|The "administrative branch" of the Church of Satan are the most loyal,
|successful, happy, non-ass-kissers that there could be.  

|...Miss Barton is not Dr. LaVey's wife.

|LaVey is ultimately in charge of "promotions."


|...if you were sincere in your ponderings, 

I feel that I have demonstrated this sincerety through my work to reconcile 
the Neopagan/Satanist divide, bringing to light the basic facts of the
matter of "Satanic Ritual Abuse" and appropriately roasting the CAW in
public for their participation in what can only be called a 'smear campaign'
on the movement which is Satanism.  Of course you may not have seen this.

I feel that I have demonstrated this sincerety through involvement in the
discussions in alt.satanism, contributing greatly toward the FAQ, and
generally approaching exchange there with cogent criticism and energetic
enthusiasm.  I've engaged conversations with such public personae as DVera
and your own Nemo III, KRhoades and PNadramia, not to mention severly
challenging MAquino, Balanone and Mr.Scratch in the public forum while
analyzing the nature of Satanism and Satan.  Of course you may not have
seen this either.

I feel that I have demonstrated this sincerety through networking for the
cause of Satanism (organized and no) within the Internet and beyond,
explaining to interested individuals precisely what I knew of the various
types of Satanism currently available, even developing my own theories
concerning the nature of Satanism and its manifestations.  I have created
and maintained an ftp site for the storage of information which shall 
further this endeavor and have continued to forward relevant documents
from any Satanic org or person to occult and religious file sites of
repute and exposure.  Here again, you may not know this.

I feel that I have demonstrated this sincerety by doing my homework -- by
reading the SB, CS (quoting from it within this elist), and by conducting
several interviews with members of your Church, including PNadramia, though
these are as yet unconcluded.  I am setting about reviewing the foundational
works purported to be essential to the construction of organized Satanism
and the principles and exercises which LaVey designates as important, and
part of my research shall include encountering and discussing the various
details of both the orgs and the philosophies which are popularly known to
be favorites within those orgs, this last being what I do here and now.
Again, you may not have known this was my intention.


I had thought that titles and such were conferred by the High Priest based 
upon the activities of the member in question, though perhaps I over-estimated
the nature of these activities wrt the Church.  This remains to be seen.


"'If you're looking for activities, we suggest you follow the directions
of _The Satanic Bible_ and further the cause by forming your own grotto
or group.  If you have already done so, contact the Church of Satan with
details regarding the type of people you're interested in, the focus,
structure and schedule of your group, and if you wish to be contacted
regarding new members....

"When you fill out your application for further involvement, let us know
that you would like to be considered to be a qualified contact point in
your area, for media representation and/or group activities.'

"The Church of Satan has steadily grown less centralized from its beginning.
There are now established satellites who take care of activities."

CS128-9

If nothing else the CoS engages in a limited form of 'networking' amongst
its interested members who may be forming their own grottos.  It appears
also to be engaged in conveying the authority to represent the Church to
the press, which is one of the reasons that I am focussing upon the
administrative structure as a mode of authoritative conferment and the
roles of 'authorized representatives'.  


to truly evaluate 'who gains' within any organization one needs examine
the base-level power-configuration and how this power is used over time.
Members can tell me about both, if willing, the first a matter of record
and practice, the second a matter of personal history and reflection.

I maintain that if you have faith in the truth of what Anton says, then 
you ought to be able to see the efficacy of my approach.  Let me quote to 
you a particular snippet from your High Priestess:

"LaVey didn't much care about such blistering accusations [as 'sneaky Jap'
and of not fighting fair when using judo] in those days.  Tony's [that is,
LaVey's] growing disdain for the great unwashed masses was encouraged when
he assisted his father's brother, Bill LaVey, with his business in newly-
developed Las Vegas just after the war.  It was there he met notorious
underworld figures like Moe Sedway, Mickey Cohen, Al Greenberg, Meyer Lansky
and Bugsy Siegel, who had their own brand of productive cynicism to convey
to an impressionable young LaVey.  'Everyone is on the take, everone has an
angle, no matter what position they hold in society.  Everything's a racket,
including the church.  Especially the church, 'cause nobody's supposed to
*know* it's a racket.'  While Tony sat around tables letting the men's after-
hours conversations wash over him, he began to formulate a principle that
would eventually be incorporated in LaVey's Satanism: 'Always ask, "Cui bono?
Who gains?"  Find out what's in it for whom and you'll be able to figure out
how much bullshit is being shoveled in which directions, and how you might
make it work for you.'  It's part of LaVey's general attitude to question
all things.  As he was quoted in Arthur Lyons' _Satan Wants You_, '"Truth"
never set anyone free.  It is only *doubt* which will bring mental emanci-
pation.'"

CS35

I hope you see that my own approach is similar when coming to evaluate 'who
gains' within the Church of Satan.  I tend to think the same is true about
the Church of Satan as about the Christian Church which is spoken of in the
above quotation.  Now, the problem is, given the structure which I may
discover as the Church of Satan, how can I make it work for me?  I think
this is a very important question and hope that you see its import.


My point previously is that I keep hearing within the organized Satanic
strands those who are content to define for others what Satanism includes.
I admit that Mr. LaVey appears to tread very close to the border on this
issue himself, though as usual he flits away from absolute definition with
clever phraseology (I admire this about him).


NocTifer