Path: ultra.sonic.net!bug.rahul.net!rahul.net!a2i!news.kjsl.com!news.new-york.net!news-peer.gip.net!news.gsl.net!gip.net!news.maxwell.syr.edu!nntp2.dejanews.com!nnrp1.dejanews.com!not-for-mail From: harwer2@hotmail.com Newsgroups: alt.satanism Subject: Re: Temple of Set Satanism FAQ Date: Mon, 04 Jan 1999 19:40:17 GMT Organization: Deja News - The Leader in Internet Discussion Lines: 110 Message-ID: <76r5f1$d4c$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com> References: <19990103153753.25333.00002241@ngol02.aol.com> <76poje$nls$1@hiram.io.com> Reply-To: harwer@ultinet.net NNTP-Posting-Host: 207.99.47.242 To: pleasure@netcom.com X-Article-Creation-Date: Mon Jan 04 19:40:17 1999 GMT X-Http-User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.01; Windows 98) X-Http-Proxy: 1.1 x4.dejanews.com:80 (Squid/1.1.22) for client 207.99.47.242 Xref: ultra.sonic.net alt.satanism:104266 In article , > : Mikey Aquino refuses to recognize the unambiguous fact that the Church of > : Satan has made a big splash as atheistic Satanism (he claims the CoS was > : theistic until he left in 75). To this end, he not only fabricates recent > : history, but refuses to accept historical evidence of similar groups. > > I'll look carefully at anybody's documentation. I'm not prejudiced. Yet. > But so far, I've been most impressed by the seriousness and scholarship of > the ToS people who have taken the time to debate me in public and private > forums. > > What can I say. I *like* people who can answer me with real historical > references, with authors and dates, and who actually read books and do > some research on occult topics. I don't care very much if they are > religious fanatics if they are still capable of debating me intelligently > and offering real, solid, constructive and helpful information. I can understand that: here are some helpful citations and references re. the 1975 "Great Schism" which led to the founding of the Temple of Set. In the June 1976 *Scroll of Set,* in an article entitled "The Year One," Michael Aquino said: * * * * * "What makes these accomplishments all the more impressive is the fact that the Temple is still relatively small in size. At this time last year the mailing list of the Church of Satan contained about 350 names, of which about 100 were either complimentary memberships or non-member subscriptions to the "Cloven Hoof." Only the 250 regular members were told about the Temple of Set, and then only about fifty of them were accepted into the Temple as qualified initiates. The entire process of notification, information, application and selection took about the first four or five months, and since then we have grown by about 30 additional initiates. This is due in large part to our refusal to advertise, employ sensational-type publicity, or otherwise seek members by any "mass" process. We believe that each new Setian should be introduced to the Temple on an individual basis. Thus the Temple will grow relatively slowly, but the quality and interest of its initiates will be high." * * * * * In other words: out of 250 regular members of the Church of Satan, approximately 50 left to join the Temple of Set according to Michael Aquino. Fast-forward 12 years, to the July 1988 *Scroll of Set,* where Aquino, reviewing the book *Satan Wants You* by Arthur Lyons, says: * * * * "Page 126: Founding membership of the Temple of Set was about 100 ex-Church of Satan members, not 28. They came from all over the United States and Canada, not just from New York, Washington, and Los Angeles." * * * * Now, perhaps I failed "new math" ... but it does seem to me that 50 != 100: heck, I'd say it doesn't even equal "about 100." Aquino's "Church of Satan" book includes resignation letters from 12 individuals -- Aquino, four III* members, five II* members, and two I* members. Conclave I, in July of 1979, had 32 attendees. Conclave II, in July of 1980, had 31 attendees. (Source; *Scroll of Set*). In his reply to Peter Gilmore's "Pretenders to the Throne," Michael Aquino claimed: * * * * The "handful" of Church members who also resigned amounted to approximately half the Church's entire regular membership at the time - and, more significantly, included virtually all of the Priesthood, Grotto Leaders, Regional Agents, and other actively-involved individuals. When the dust cleared, the only names left on the C/S roster were those of the "silent subscribers" at the I* level, two Masters IV* (not counting the LaVey family chauffeur), and 6 Priests & Priestesses III*. The two IV*s - John Ferro and Charles Steenbarger - were both family friends, and of the 6 III* Initiates only one - Stuart Levine - tried for awhile to function as an actual official. The Church of Satan was dead. * * * * Now, correct me if I'm wrong... but 50 != 1/2 of 250. (And may I also point out that the Church of Satan seems quite alive and well for a "dead" organization). The Temple of Set *is* a successful darkside/Thelemic organization which has some interesting ideas. It *is not* the One True Real Church of Satan, nor is it in any meaningful way a "successor" to the Church of Satan... any more than Crowley's OTO is the "successor" to the Plymouth Brotherhood in which Crowley was raised. Many Setians have since moved beyond this silly "We're the REAL Church of Satan" schtick, and have gone on to do their own thing... and do it well. Alas, Dr. Aquino has proven unable to do this. Peace Kevin Filan -----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==---------- http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own