Path: typhoon.sonic.net!not-for-mail Newsgroups: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.thelema,alt.pagan.magick Subject: Demonstrating the Law From: 333 Reply-To: spam@yronwode.com User-Agent: nn/6.6.0 Lines: 76 Message-ID: Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 06:30:02 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 208.201.242.18 X-Complaints-To: abuse@sonic.net X-Trace: typhoon.sonic.net 1023172202 208.201.242.18 (Mon, 03 Jun 2002 23:30:02 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2002 23:30:02 PDT Xref: typhoon.sonic.net alt.magick.tyagi:32854 alt.magick:304051 alt.pagan.magick:33102 Orig-To: thelema93-l@yahoogroups.com 50000428 IVom >I rather doubt Crowley performed the Mass more than a few dozen times >in his life, and I think that an Order focus on Mass is dangerous in >that sense that it attracts mainly religious people. Which, I suppose, >is ok if that's what you want, but I think it's clear a religious >oriented order will not appeal to those not likewise oriented. maybe the EGC and its Mass is a device for lapsed Roman Catholics who, not finding some role for themselves or their values in this bureaucratic and now conventional organization. it may be geared quite specifically for the bhakti-oriented, as you note, and those who feel good about ecclesiastical authority. and yet this is only one aspect of (c)OTO. as it becomes emphasized so the order will wither and die, but if it remains only a portion, then it may serve those with servile fetishes. >Bhakti yoga is perhaps most suitable to most types of characters, >but for some the practise isn't the way to go. I see the same problem >with the centrilisation of Liber XXX, which, according to Crowley's >own account, isn't a suitable guideline for every type of character. >In practise these types of characters will probably be [t]old that >'Oto is not for them' and frankly, I find this whole disposition >positively absurd. as they are told this, so the order limits itself and decreases its potential to promulgate the Law to the world. instead it will alienate the intellectuals, at worst mutate into a Jim Jones clone. >I don't understand what the deal is with people somehow failing to >comprehend that for example 'missionairy work' is not everyone's >cup of tea. I don't care about that stuff at all and anyone trying >to work on my guilt complex for 'not spreading the law of thelema', >or some equal pascalian slogan, can kiss my turds. :> are people really asking you to venture out into the world and convert the millions door-to-door? beyond this, don't you think that living by the Law spreads it? >>Personally, having been a Thelemite for a 1/4 century, I only saw the >>Mass about a year ago - once. I still don't need it, and don't have much >>time for it's 'secret message' (the medium is fine - it is a well >>crafted ritual - I just don't have the same take on sexual occultism >>that Eddie did). > >And on the other hand the focus on sexual magic is in itself not >everyone's gock of glee. This might be philosophical, but it interests >me as much as sexual poetry, sexual paintings, and sexual plumbing >usually does. my impression is that the sexual aspect of the order is much like the aspects of secrecy and power -- these are intriguing fetishes which draw attention (Crowley's activities were in many ways experiments in attention-drawing) as teasers to the understanding and adherence to the Law (true will, a principle of nature). in a world where anonymity and powerless are growing day by day (or at least the appearance of such), apprehending the taboo, the forbidden, and that which is relegated solely for the Elite is an incredibly tantalizing lure. this lure entices support, alliance, and loyalty. oaths may secure this through contract. if you do not feel that lure, then your place with respect to the cult is as an outsider, perhaps an unacknowledged member of the true elite whom many of the social attention-getters will attempt to emulate or pretend to be. if this is so, then your every expression is an instruction to the Herd, regardless of whether you intend it, and your example is itself a promulgation of the Law manifested unto those who witness you. 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.