Satanism, Bloody Sacrifice, etc.
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The term "Satanist" is so broad and ill defined that it means nothing to me. Just like "Christian." What does that mean? I have met people from both camps, some I liked and some I didn't.
I think people need to be much more aware of the cognitive distortion that goes on when you label someone. Labels cannot, by definition say anything definitive about an individual; maybe with groups in general. So Crowley, like any person, deserves to be judged on his own words and actions, not some label.
Now with regard to Satan and worshipping or venerating: He is a Deity of some sort and therefor has a role in the macro and microcosm. It is a difficult role to sort out, 'tis true, mostly because of the false dogma put out by the Black Brotherhood to confuse things and hide his role. But if any one takes the time, you will see that the office of Satan is valuable as a tester. The Egyptians catalogue various tests on the path of the initiate, and some god has to officiate them. Also, Lucifer as light-bearer, or the snake as the initiator of wisdom (knowledge of good & evil, i.e. our ruach consciousness).
Don Milo Duquette has done a nice job in the one book I have of his, "The Magick Of Aleister Crowley", as an introduction to the man and his magick, and it is just handy to have the material you want in one volume without flipping through various tomes. And I like the fact that he keeps it all basic; he doesn't try to compete with the real material that only Crowley has or can explain, being the Prophet, To Mega Therion, and the highest initiate we have had incarnate on this planet in a long time (as far as I know.)
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If asked by someone "Are you a Satanist" or "Are you a devil worshiper?" I reply, "If you consider yourself a Christian and trust the words of the Bible, there's no other definition for me because if it isn't of Jesus, it must be of the Devil." Also, once a month I enjoy Saturday morning coffee in my living room with the regularly visiting Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm not sure they can figure me out.
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@Takamba said
"If asked by someone "Are you a Satanist" or "Are you a devil worshiper?" I reply, "If you consider yourself a Christian and trust the words of the Bible, there's no other definition for me because if it isn't of Jesus, it must be of the Devil." Also, once a month I enjoy Saturday morning coffee in my living room with the regularly visiting Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm not sure they can figure me out."
I didn't know J.W. drank coffee? (or perhaps you mean it's just you drinking it.)
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@nderabloodredsky said
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@Takamba said
"If asked by someone "Are you a Satanist" or "Are you a devil worshiper?" I reply, "If you consider yourself a Christian and trust the words of the Bible, there's no other definition for me because if it isn't of Jesus, it must be of the Devil." Also, once a month I enjoy Saturday morning coffee in my living room with the regularly visiting Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm not sure they can figure me out."I didn't know J.W. drank coffee? (or perhaps you mean it's just you drinking it.)"
Yes. They drink coffee. They aren't Mormons. (actually I take that back, one drinks coffee, the other one drinks water or juice if I have it)
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@Tarotica said
(jk)"
Jk I consider your blog on the subject to be shitty, one-sided journalism. You invested several lengthy paragraphs defining the nature of Satan as conceived by Christians in an effort to make it appear Crowley worshipped the Satan of Christianity, while failing to quote anything Crowley wrote on the subject. Your blog is also factually incorrect in several places.
This is what Crowley thought of the Devil of Christianity: From page 277 of Magick:
"The Devil does not exist; it is a false name invented by the Black Brothers to imply unity in their ignorant muddle of dispersions."
From page 163 of Magick:
"This 'Devil' is called Satan or Shaitan, and regarded with horror by people who are ignorant of his formula, and imagining themselves to be evil, accuse Nature herself of their phantasmal crime. Satan is Saturn, Set, Abraxas, Adad, Adonai", etc.
More specifically, Crowley was interested in the Shaitan / Satan that was worshiped in ancient Sumer, and currently by the Yezidis, which has nothing whatsoever to do with the contemporary Christian view of Satan.
You state that Satan & Satanic thinking are central to Thelema as determined by the study of Liber Al, when there is no mention of Satan in Liber Al---an invented falsehood on your part.
Also, you state that Aiwass commands Thelemites to throw the Christians to the lions: Liber Al is the only Book attributed to Aiwass as an author, and in it he states no such thing--you've confused the commentary made by Crowley on Liber Al for the text itself, which underscores your poor research skills.
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Do what thou Wilt shall be the whole of the Law
While I have been given marvelous and exalted tasks by the Creator also Am I but a Neophyte, an innocent and helpless Harpocrates Babe in an Egg, and I have much to learn. Having been raised Christian it is difficult for Me at times to accept the Greatness in His Holy Name Satan without fear of eternal fire. He has reached out to Me on so many occassions yet have I spurned Him in My childish folly. This is My labor, and mine alone, but here is what He has revealed unto Me concerning His Nature. In One Satan is the Throne upon which the King rules, Not an Adversary, but a Challenger, the consciousness of the processes of growth and evolution toward success. To fear Him is repression of the Seed by the Soil, the fear of Growth, but it is that fear which once overcome unites Us with His enduring Grace. Now know that when We break through the soil of our insecurity and emerge into the Light, Satan's Name changeth to that of Lucifer. No longer is He the Challenger, but the Bringer of Truth and Light, a Living and complete soul free from the Restrictions of the Struggle Based Genesis. A far as Christians are concerned, it is up to each Aspirant to engage in such Revelation. The Work of Satan is best defined by the Beast 666's Wonderful Poem called: "Crowley "Aha". My struggle with Satan is a struggle with Myself. He has given Me two forms of My bicameral mind, which also are Archetypes of the Nature of My Work. I was foolish and smoked cigarettes, pushing down My Life, supressing My vitality, accosting the force of My Vigor. He has delivered Me from this, but the Great and Supreme God of All Creation Will not in any way force His Child to do that which is best for Him. Therefore surrender all ye have unto Satan and ignore those whom present their folly that He is Evil. They are blind, they are starseeds, they are slaves to their own futile whims, they have potential but deny it. In this I Am Hypocrite, We must be what We are not before We can be what We are.
Love is the Law, Love under Will.
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@Student Aleph 9 2 said
"Do what thou Wilt shall be the whole of the Law
While I have been given marvelous and exalted tasks by the Creator also Am I but a Neophyte, an innocent and helpless Harpocrates Babe in an Egg, and I have much to learn. Having been raised Christian it is difficult for Me at times to accept the Greatness in His Holy Name Satan without fear of eternal fire. He has reached out to Me on so many occassions yet have I spurned Him in My childish folly. This is My labor, and mine alone, but here is what He has revealed unto Me concerning His Nature. In One Satan is the Throne upon which the King rules, Not an Adversary, but a Challenger, the consciousness of the processes of growth and evolution toward success. To fear Him is repression of the Seed by the Soil, the fear of Growth, but it is that fear which once overcome unites Us with His enduring Grace. Now know that when We break through the soil of our insecurity and emerge into the Light, Satan's Name changeth to that of Lucifer. No longer is He the Challenger, but the Bringer of Truth and Light, a Living and complete soul free from the Restrictions of the Struggle Based Genesis. A far as Christians are concerned, it is up to each Aspirant to engage in such Revelation. The Work of Satan is best defined by the Beast 666's Wonderful Poem called: "Crowley "Aha". My struggle with Satan is a struggle with Myself. He has given Me two forms of My bicameral mind, which also are Archetypes of the Nature of My Work. I was foolish and smoked cigarettes, pushing down My Life, supressing My vitality, accosting the force of My Vigor. He has delivered Me from this, but the Great and Supreme God of All Creation Will not in any way force His Child to do that which is best for Him. Therefore surrender all ye have unto Satan and ignore those whom present their folly that He is Evil. They are blind, they are starseeds, they are slaves to their own futile whims, they have potential but deny it. In this I Am Hypocrite, We must be what We are not before We can be what We are.
Love is the Law, Love under Will."
93
I loved the entire post and in many ways feel the same exact way. I grew up catholic and went to catholic schools the vast majority of my childhood and teenage years. The initial breaking of those chains may be one of the most beautiful things to have transpired in my life.
I also enjoy telling christians "May Lucifer free you from your bondage." I find it humourous that they in no way understand what I am talking about and they tend to become fearful or try to convince me to become that way.
93 93/93
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@Student Aleph 9 2 said
"Do what thou Wilt shall be the whole of the Law
While I have been given marvelous and exalted tasks by the Creator also Am I but a Neophyte, an innocent and helpless Harpocrates Babe in an Egg, and I have much to learn. Having been raised Christian it is difficult for Me at times to accept the Greatness in His Holy Name Satan without fear of eternal fire. He has reached out to Me on so many occassions yet have I spurned Him in My childish folly. This is My labor, and mine alone, but here is what He has revealed unto Me concerning His Nature. In One Satan is the Throne upon which the King rules, Not an Adversary, but a Challenger, the consciousness of the processes of growth and evolution toward success. To fear Him is repression of the Seed by the Soil, the fear of Growth, but it is that fear which once overcome unites Us with His enduring Grace. Now know that when We break through the soil of our insecurity and emerge into the Light, Satan's Name changeth to that of Lucifer. No longer is He the Challenger, but the Bringer of Truth and Light, a Living and complete soul free from the Restrictions of the Struggle Based Genesis. A far as Christians are concerned, it is up to each Aspirant to engage in such Revelation. The Work of Satan is best defined by the Beast 666's Wonderful Poem called: "Crowley "Aha". My struggle with Satan is a struggle with Myself. He has given Me two forms of My bicameral mind, which also are Archetypes of the Nature of My Work. I was foolish and smoked cigarettes, pushing down My Life, supressing My vitality, accosting the force of My Vigor. He has delivered Me from this, but the Great and Supreme God of All Creation Will not in any way force His Child to do that which is best for Him. Therefore surrender all ye have unto Satan and ignore those whom present their folly that He is Evil. They are blind, they are starseeds, they are slaves to their own futile whims, they have potential but deny it. In this I Am Hypocrite, We must be what We are not before We can be what We are.
Love is the Law, Love under Will."
Somebody's been reading Liber Aleph, if I am not mistaken....
I also was raised in a Christian home, and am happily Emancipated. For a While I embraced the other Extreme, touting Satan as Supreme Lord. However, I Discovered after a Short Period of Time that this was only a Reaction to the Imbalance of my Childhood, and soon Realized that the best Path is that of Balance. It the Characteristic Predisposition of Youth to Over-React in any given Direction. Thankfully, my Vigor is no longer Accosted.