Christian Thelema
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I have been thinking more and more about this recently with my own life. I feel things like the Temple of Thelema, and yes, even the O.T.O are for people who are too religiously sophisticated and have far more understanding of religion and spirituality than the average person on the street. Now, I don't think that is necessarily a problem, and since I'm not part of either order, I have no right to tell other people how to run it.
I recently read Anne Rices old book, "Called out of Darkness". For all you magically inclined people, don't waste your money on it. Its not going to make you a better mage to conjure spirits out of the air to bring you awsome power or whatever. I only got it because I am always interested in what other people think about religion and any experiences they might have in order to better understand the problem. Anyway, I only paid $1.50 for the hardcover cause I got it used at a book fair. In her book, Anne Rice talks about how she was raised Catholic. As I read about the mass in Latin, it dawned on me how we have dumbed down religion over the ages in general. What I mean by that, is I think people expected to get less and less religious feelings in general. Even though she loved all the Catholic imagery, and ceremony, I read about how later, in 2010, she felt she had to leave the church over there stances on abortion, gay marriage, woman in the priesthood, and a whole host of other social issues. She still believes in Christ.I think her book, the fact she just dropped the whole thing for years and became an atheist, and then came back to it later whole hog, points to the fact that many people cannot separate the wheat from the shaft in religion. I doubt this is a problem unique to Anne Rice, since I had the same issue when I was younger, having been a Catholic who gave it up for Athieism after reading a couple Bertrand Russel books. Of course, atheism did not work for me.
I am aware how Thelema has made some inroads with Wicca and the New Age, however I think we need something even simpler that an even more spiritually unaware person could understand.
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@Shadow Self said
"I feel things like the Temple of Thelema, and yes, even the O.T.O are for people who are too religiously sophisticated and have far more understanding of religion and spirituality than the average person on the street."
As far as I know, the two are pretty distinct. The T.'.O.'.T.'. is an initiatory (on the real sense of the word) Order concerned with actual spiritual experience and development of its members. Not so much the O.T.O. But YMMV.
@Shadow Self said
"I am aware how Thelema has made some inroads with Wicca and the New Age, however I think we need something even simpler that an even more spiritually unaware person could understand."
Yes, we do "need" it. Where to start?
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A good place to start is the first volume of the Equinox. So much info about Thelema, GD and Crowley. Also has many Libers and commentaries.
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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.
When I saw the topic, I thought, man, there's an oxymoron! But the initial post raises another topic, which as I read it, is about the value of a "sophisticated" religious experience. (N.B. I don't mean sophistry.).
I personally don't think one can get the vibe from a ceremony that isn't ceremonial. You can leave the Catholic Church, but if you need the imagery and pageantry of its rites, they can't be found in watered down Protestantism, nor even in solitary prayer, although other things can be.
More broadly, I think people have different spiritual needs, just as they have different emotional needs, nutritional needs, social needs. Fair enough. But your proposition is, to me, a bit like saying: some people are intimidated by loud parties, so parties should be quieter; some people don't like to eat fruits and vegetables, so we should offer more snacks; some people dislike intimacy, so we should hide our feelings.
Having said that, though, I think you are absolutely right: outreach into less "aware" communities is essential, if the goal is to extend the light. For those with a more modest appetite, there are a few different flavors of Thelemic experience that one can link into. (See, e.g. www.aspirantstolight.org/.) The world certainly could use more.
I suspect, however, that accessibility is always an issue in this space. "Few are called but many are chosen," as they say. If one hasn't gotten the call, the itch, the urge to penetrate into these things deeply, they probably aren't for you. So be it. That's not a problem.
But, in my view, what's lacking for many seekers and should be expanded and distinctly NOT over-simplified is the more "catholic," doctrinal, initiatory stuff, "the mantras and spells; the obeah and the wanga; the work of the wand and the work of the sword." It is, after all, called the Great WORK, and I don't think you can really get at the heart of the Thelemic experience without considerable effort (and severe ordeals). Some of us crave it, however, and it's a labor of love, but for that, I think, one has just got to be constituted in a particular kind of way.
Love is the law, love under will.
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@Shadow Self said
"I have been thinking more and more about this recently with my own life. I feel things like the Temple of Thelema, and yes, even the O.T.O are for people who are too religiously sophisticated and have far more understanding of religion and spirituality than the average person on the street. Now, I don't think that is necessarily a problem, and since I'm not part of either order, I have no right to tell other people how to run it."
You raise a few good points here. While I think that Thelemic organizations could do much more in the way of impacting the community, at the same time I don't feel as though Thelemic ideals/practices/etc. should be "dumbed down" for the general populace. There is definitely a great deal of work to be done; however, Thelema will never be a "mass movement" per se. (Perhaps it will be, later in the Aeon, but at present, no.) While it may seem "elitist" or "anti-democratic" to some, the Thelemic organizations that do exist are not geared towards a fast-food format.
"I am aware how Thelema has made some inroads with Wicca and the New Age, however I think we need something even simpler that an even more spiritually unaware person could understand."
Rather than dumb-down Thelema for the "man on the street," why not raise the "man on the street" to a spiritual level corresponding to that of Thelema?
The O.T.O., as it stands, provides a very accessible environment for those who are looking for a more social atmosphere. I really can't envision anything more "churchlike" than the Gnostic Mass as it stands.
However, there can definitely be more of a "community outreach" attitude in Thelemic society--not in the manner of telemarketers or girl scouts selling cookings, but, say, musical/celebratory events and study groups/discussions, and so forth.
"Having said that, though, I think you are absolutely right: outreach into less "aware" communities is essential, if the goal is to extend the light. For those with a more modest appetite, there are a few different flavors of Thelemic experience that one can link into. (See, e.g. www.aspirantstolight.org.) The world certainly could use more. "
Aspirants is also a very accessible no-pressure organization. Like David says, I think the main point now is outreach and applied growth within existing formats.
