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Objectively Studying the GD

To: alt.magick,alt.magick.order,alt.magick.tyagi,alt.thelema,alt.pagan.magick
From: "Fr. A.o.C." 
Subject: Re: Objectively Studying the GD
Date: Sun, 02 Mar 2003 18:52:24 GMT

Satyr wrote:
> 
> newzion@xtra.co.nz (Secretary ECT) writes:
> 
> > Greetings Re and Frater AOC
> >
> > The crucial point of the Golden Dawn mystery is the resurrection.
> 
> Highly subjective, even if true. Moreover, the 'resurrection' occurs
> in the RR+AC, and therefore by definition plays no part in the Golden
> Dawn proper. Nothing past 4 = 7 appears in the Cypher Manuscript.
> Without convincing evidence to the contrary, the emphasis placed on
> death and resurrection represents foreign material grafted onto the
> original system, in all probability by Mathers.

Thank you, Satyr, for making the same comment I was about to make.

With all respect to Frater Jean, the resurrection mythology of the
RRetAC is really a fundamental deficiency in the 2nd Order system
devised (as Satyr points out) by Mathers. It is the root of so many
problems that have arisen (forgive he pun) over the years with nearly
every GD order, including Mathers' own HOGD.

Not that being "reborn" is not a useful magical formula. In fact, the
OSOGD uses the Osirian death-and-rebirth mythological cycle as the basis
for the Portal Grade. But we identify Osiris with the Green Man, the god
of vegetation (as did the ancient Egyptians), so his story is a
microcosm of the birth-death-rebirth cycle of nature.

The old Order placed their 'resurrection' in the 5=6 Adeptus Minor
Grade, which follows the Portal, and directly related it to the
Christian mythology. As such it was not a *bridge* to the 5=6, but
rather the *goal* of the 5=6 and in fact, the whole goal of their RRetAC
system -- to identify the Aspirant with Jesus Christ.

Do I even need to lay out all the psychological problems that can arise
from identifying a person, especially in the charged atmosphere of
powerful magical rites, with the Christian Messiah? Especially if that
person was raised as a Christian?

Think about it. One of the recurring problems with GD Orders is that
their upper echelons become raging egotists. Mathers' attitude in this
regard is legendary, as is Crowley's. Anyone attracted to ceremonial
magick is already possessed of a fair share of hubris, or they wouldn't
be able to make it work. Toss fifty-some-odd Adepts of that Order
together and you've got fifty-some-odd Messiahs in the same room. How
can there NOT be problems with this?

The only reason to induce this kind of identification on a member of the
Order is if the Order is a reflection of the Christian religion, which
Mathers' RRetAC certainly was. There is no mention of Christianity per
se in the Ciphers; the word "Christ" appears only once, a reference to
the 'caduceus' as a source of miraculous healing. The Ciphers clearly
describe a Pagan magickal system, not a Christian one.

Our order identifies the 5=6 with Ra-Horus -- a "king", a Sovereign -- 
but more importantly, with the sun -- a Star ("Every man and every woman
is a Star.") This kind of magickal 'identity' is not nearly so
problematic as fifty-some-odd Messiahs. A gathering of fifty-some-odd
Stars is a constellation. Messiahs are mutually exclusive ("There can be
only one!") Not so with Stars, of which there are untold billions.
 
> To my mind, any crucial element of the Golden Dawn is to be found in
> the Hall of the Neophytes, as it is outlined in the Cypher Manuscript
> itself. It is this ritual formula which constitutes the basis for all
> that follows.

Again, I agree 100%. The 0=0 Hall of the Neophytes is the foundation
upon which all of the Golden Dawn's magick is based. The same formula is
used for all of their practical magick instruction, as described in the
Z.2 documents.

- Fr. A.o.C.


During almost 15 centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity
been on trial.  What has been its fruits?  More or less, in all places,
pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity;
in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution. -- James Madison

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