Subject: Darkness and Religious Law (was Nightside, Lightside)
To: thelema93-l@hollyfeld.org
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 1999 11:28:19 -0700 (PDT)
From: nagasiva@luckymojo.com (nigris (333))

49990804 IVom

Hail Satan!

# I get annoyed when I hear people say that Thelema, and the 
# writings of Aleister Crowley are "dark", and "occult".

you're right about Crowley. he was weak, a poseur, where Satanism
was concerned, and couldn't stomach the dark side. Thelema is most
precisely extenuated in the dark side of spirituality. since this
aspect is most often condemned and ostracized, it typicaly takes a 
greater capacity and intensity of WILL to engage and successfully 
continue delving into darker areas of oneself and spiritual 
traditions. this varies, of course, based on one's original
character and conditioning, and obsession with any pole is likely
to destabilize an aspirant regardless of hir original orientation.
the most powerful magicians have always been BLACK magicians.
 
# Also, when people think of the occult, and evil things, they 
# will think of Aleister Crowley.

yes, he was one of the Great Martyrdom Cult, drawing attention
to himself through the adoption of Gruesome Clothing in the form
of anti-Christian names and themes (especially those derived
from the last book of the Christian scripture, the revelation
of John of Patmos -- reading it sheds quite a bit of inversion-
comprehensible-light on Crowley's writings).

# But, I see Thelema as something that is holy, and bright.

many people prefer their religion this way, yes.

# Not a lame kind of "light" like fluffy bunny slippers,
# but something that is enlightening, and fullfulling.

yes, you appear to be speaking of 'light/dark' as a kind of
essential valuative in which the 'dark' is that which
obscures, ensnares, traps, and generally harms people.
this is a common paradigm.

# The only thing dark about Thelema may be that it is 
# the road less taken, in regard to conversing with your 
# HGA, and spirits, and demons and such.

that it may include "demons" at all says something about
why it is considered 'dark' by some religious. you have
not mentioned folks like Kenneth Grant, Nema, Bertiaux,
any number of Satanists, and quite a few others who have
a great fondness for dark symbolism, connections with
wrathful deities, demons, forces and powers transcending
the simplistic 'god/deva-titan/asura/demon' dualism which
is favored by fundamentalists of so many persuasions.

# I also get annoyed when christian parents look at a 
# religion like Thelema and call it a "false" religion.

it IS a false religion. it collapses into itself. it will
accept anyone from any other religion into its fold. its
scripture is a smattering of ravings, its prophet is not
at all admirable, and its adherents tend to be misfits
and miscreants. what type of religion is THIS?

# As if it were evil, and wrong.

it IS evil and wrong to make a religion out of the Law.

# I wish people would see it as I see it.

ah the innermost desire of all propagandists!

blessed beast!
______________________________________________________________________
(333) nagasiva@luckymojo.com; http://www.luckymojo.com/nagasiva.html
I don't read everything here; cc me if you absolutely want a response.