THE ARCANE ARCHIVE
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To: thelema93-l@hollyfeld.org
From: nagasiva@luckymojo.com (nigris (333))
Subject: Future of Thelema
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2000 00:39:19 -0800 (PST)

5000124 IVom

> DO what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

THE word of Sin is Restriction.
 
> I subscribe to a lot of lists to see what is going on in our world, the
> Thelemic world. I lurk on most of them, only make frequent posts on the
> Thelema93-l. It helps me understand what our future is and where it is 
> going. 

thanks for being here, and thanks for publishing your Vibrations.

> I want to know your opinions as well, where do you think it is 
> all going?

blazing a hot trail across the continuum of magical and religious
manifestation, the prophets of Thelema blast open the doors of
all modern presuppositions about what 'could be' and 'cannot be'
where thought and deed are concerned. infused by will, these
knightly pioneers strike out far and deeply into experimental
territory only those in their wake shall ever truly appreciate.
they are, more often than not, completely unaware of any person
by the name of 'Aleister Crowley' or his tar baby book.

the minority who associate with the label 'Thelemite' may quibble
and scrape over authority and definition, whose favourite prophet
is the best to follow, which view of reality is the 'Correct' one,
etc., but by and large these are merely hangers on, dreamers, and
cultists, hoping for a little of the magic to rub off on their
hands as they turn page after page of their assigned studies,
repeat verse after verse of ceremonial text and protective spell,
doing nothing to advance the Current.
 
like all cultists propagating a fundamentalist religion, those
adhering to Crowleyanity and its Evul Book preserve a valuable
and important symbol-set -- one which includes a kind of foxy
diversity and insane, multitudinous composite of potential
ethic and metaphysic. the cult will broaden and fracture in
typical patterns depending upon its fervency, with that which
fawns over the "Master" most firmly identified as its
orthodoxy (to date these seem to be the Ecclesia Gnostica
Catholica, the OTO of which it is an important part, and the 
Astrum Argentium).

the cult, however, will not truly achieve the purpose of
social revolution that it may seek to inspire, though it
may lay the groundwork for a kind of syncretism and open
sharing of magical and mystical technology available only
at present to those of sufficient status in secret orgs.

there will be other, more admirable prophets of the New
Aeon, those more predisposed to humility and integrity.
where saintism can be evaded (by virtue of the ugliness
of the individual or the skeptical attitude which they
inspire), a more pervasive wave of liberative conception
may revolutionize society and probably, in its gestation,
forget Crowley and Crowleyanity as bystanding witnesses
in a novel and fruitful renaissance.
 
> I see Thelema growing into a religion as a opposed to 
> a living breathing magickal system. 

that is because you are looking at its social identity,
rather than its active ingredients.

> I get this feeling from my contact with various Thelemites
> across the globe. Some people think Thelema is a more 
> militant Wicca, which it is not. 

there is some merit to this classification. where Wiccan 
covens began as a goddess-worshipping initiatory schema 
that appealed to the peasantry and misplaced urbanites 
longing for better times and places, 'Thelemic' orders are
an obvious appeal to mysteric cults and martial discipline.
there is a fascination for weaponry and warfare contained
in the 'Thelemic' community, for example, which is not so 
readily found amongst Wiccans, who are more love-oriented 
and revelrous. 

> Some just use it to rebel against mommy and daddy. 

this is true of most novel religious cultures, especially
those of the Great Martyrdom Cult. these are intentionally
flaunted as risk-taking social moves contrary to the
pressures of conservative parents. as the parents take to
liking the specific culture, the extreme extends or rebounds
back to the more conservative (hippie children becoming
yuppies, executives, etc.). this can even occur within a
single generation as life changes impact fantasies of
utopia and leave them sterile and no longer of appeal.

> One thing I have found is that the latter as opposed to 
> the former have a tendency to stick it out when the going 
> gets tough and start fighting back. The former, who
> dominate the scheme have a tendency to do one of two 
> things, leave Thelema, or want to turn it into another 
> religion for the masses. "Let my servants be few and 
> secret, they shall rule the many and the known". 

misunderstanding a culture for a variation on another
(there is a good deal of cross-over between Wicca and
Thelema, did you notice?) will more often yield an
orientation of departure to that which was sought. if
these dominate the scene then this is because there is
some confusion about what 'Thelema' (and perhaps also
'Wicca') really is and how they differ from one another.

> Again, how does everyone feel about this? DO you see 
> some of the same things I do?

yes, but your words remind me of the very cultism which
you seem to want to oppose. I feel that those who want
a religion are ignorant of Thelema as a Law and those
who want to shock their parents may not have the courage
and humility to take that it the way of liberation.

> the need for it to be a living breathing magickal system 
> instead of a dead religion. 

can it be a living religion? can religions be thriving?
can magical systems be dead? what kind of features does
the 'Thelemic magical system' have, as you see it? what
sets it apart from other magical systems that are like it?

Invoke me under my stars.

> Love is the law, love under will.
> 
> Some responses will be used as quotes for an upcoming article 
> in the first issue of Ophidian Vibrations, an online ezine. 
> Email me at jasoncarpenter@usa.net if you wish to submit and 
> article for OV.

be my guest with proper attribution: 

	nagasiva@luckymojo.com (nigris (333))
	http://www.luckymojo.com/nagasiva.html

(cc of any publications in which it appears appreciated)

over and out, 

blessed beast!
______________________________________________________________________
333
I don't read everything here; cc me if you absolutely want a response.