Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!171.64.64.130.MISMATCH!usenet.stanford.edu!news.kjsl.com!news-xfer.nntp.sonic.net!posts.news.sonic.net!nnrp1.nntp.sonic.net!not-for-mail
Newsgroups: alt.satanism,alt.magick.tyagi,talk.religion.misc,alt.answers,talk.answers,news.answers
Subject: alt.satanism FAQ
Followup-To: alt.satanism,alt.magick.tyagi
Keywords: FAQ, Satanism, Satan, religion, philosophy, demonology, Lucifer,
Set, Mastema, Beelzebub, Iblis, infernal, demon, spirit, fallen,
Book of Noah, Book of Enoch, Setianism, Luciferians, Hades, 666,
Underworld Ruler, hellfire clubs, Black Mass, cultists, devil,
Pact With the Devil, tormentor, adversary, opponent, diabolism,
sorcery, demon-worship, sabbatic goat, Baphomet, pentagrams,
point-down pentagrams, pentacles, trapezoids, trapezohedrons,
nonology, Prometheus, Ialdabaoth, Archon, Demiurge, Scratch,
Old Hairy, Great Accuser, Old Nick, Wild One, Chozzar-Shugal,
Melek Tawes, Peacock Lord, Emerald Serpent, Black Flame,
Yezidis, Virosaivites, Brotherhood of Satan, Church of Satan.
Approved:
[email protected]
Summary: alt.satanism newsgroup FAQ
Replaces: 49990720
URL:
http://www.satanservice.org/satanismfaq.html
From: satanservice.org@boboroshi (tyaginator)
Reply-to:
[email protected] (tyaginator)
User-Agent: nn/6.6.5
Date: 22 Sep 2009 02:12:57 GMT
Lines: 808
Message-ID: <
[email protected]>
Organization: Sonic.Net
NNTP-Posting-Date: 22 Sep 2009 02:12:57 GMT
NNTP-Posting-Host: d3d6a905.news.sonic.net
X-Trace: DXC=c`Y40_^hnTDn<gEN`3U2F@m4K\QM1CV^@1OYf0H`?;XAJk[N[<DkjgI49JS04A7<JBb2[g]g@cPeJ=\J3W1O[>WL
X-Complaints-To:
[email protected]
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu alt.satanism:270282 alt.magick.tyagi:58232 talk.religion.misc:607616 alt.answers:84743 talk.answers:8084 news.answers:324168
Archive-name: religions/satanism/faqtks
Posting-Frequency: monthly or when desired
Revised: 50030418
LOCATION
http://www.luckymojo.com/faqs/faq.astntks.0418
______________________________________________________________________
CONTENTS
00: Terminology and Introduction
01: What is Satanism?
Caveat (emptor? :>)
Satanism
Martyrdom and Morality
The Tool of Language -- a Weapon of the Literati
02: Isn't martyrdom an insult to Satanists?
03: Do we have to die to be a martyr?
How does one join the GMC?
04: Are you saying that all Satanists have to
sacrifice themselves?
05: Do Satanists actually worship an evil god?
06: Then do you *really* serve Satan?
07: Why do you identify with such a negative force?
08: Didn't God create Satan?
09: C'mon, what *is* Satanism?
What are its religious rules?
10: Why do so many Satanists seem to be merely
'anti-Christians'?
11: So is Satanism a part of Christianity or not?
12: Why are Satanists so egotistical?
Aren't they all reactionaries following
leaders who want them to be their slaves?
13: What do Satanists believe, then?
Why do they have to be anti-social?
14: Do certain beliefs keep one from being a member of the GMC?
What about Science?
15: What is to be gained from Satanism and nonbelief?
16: Is the GMC solely a Western cult?
17: Why can't you tell us more?
How can we recognize members of the GMC?
18: Credits and Copyrights
______________________________________________________________________
FAQ begins
00: Terminology and Introduction
FAQ => Frequently Asked Questions
GMC => Great Martyrdom Cult
Definition is the first stage of the corruption of the GMC.
As we offer to define it, so does it pass into another form.
We know that this may sound quite evasive, but the GMC *IS*
evasive. It is the manifestation of the unconscious mind of
our society. The more we attempt to understand it, the more
it becomes impossible for us to understand. It is the
equivalent of the Buddhist sunyata, which we can never
quantify, yet it has an everlasting quality of presence.
The following is a document we concocted from a number of
exchanges we had with fellow Satanists in alt.satanism.
Please excuse its very rough form. We've just compiled a
dozen or two posts and tried to make a coherent whole out of
it. It is presented as a dialectic, with the preliminary
theory following the first question.
01: What is Satanism?
Caveat (emptor? :>)
I cannot speak for everyone, just as a Buddhist and Christian
can only describe what their religion is TO THEM, so I am
here only speaking of mine. Satanism is in its formative
social stages at this time, given shape by many small groups
and individuals. The term varies within many social
organizations (compare 'Witch') and so is impossible to
categorize in any absolute fashion.
There are many attempts right now to DEFINE Satanism so that
it ceases to be an unknown. Given this, one might say that
the Order-based social organism is attempting to infiltrate
and destroy this rebellious little faction by requiring
self-identification. Self-definition is the first step to
co-opting a new social trend. As I define Satanism for
everyone I do it a disservice, so take this in the spirit in
which it is meant - as a reflection of my experience and
dreams. It in no way describes an orderly ORGANIZATION, but
a social trend, recurrently surfacing and disappearing.
Satanism
Satanism is the latest in a line of manifestations of the
Great Cult of Martyrdom. I'm not quite sure of its origins,
but examples of it include Christianity and Witchcraft/Wicca.
Long ago these latter religions were manifestations of the
Great Martyrdom Cult, but over time they have been co-opted
by the establishment into social indoctrination schemes.
Today Christianity and Wicca (this last is part of a
conglomerate known to many as Neopaganism) are mixtures of
honest mystical rebellion and conformist religious cliques.
The GMC is an occult network of those whose minds are
triggered by society into a direct confrontation with the
orthodox for the purposes of internal coherence. It surfaces
with different names, at different times, and with different
'philosophies', but always toward the same eventual endpoint:
the resolution of internally inconsistent energies
(internal to both the social group and the individual).
An example: Catholicism used to be a 'universal', inclusive
movement, yet now it excludes by virtue of its extremity and
its hierarchy. It pins the badge of 'Satanist' upon those
whose lives it finds compete with its social, oppressive
power, and it encourages persecution through its fanaticism.
The GMC surfaces here in the guise of 'Satanist'. It holds
up the Shadow of Yahweh to the conscious mind of Catholicism
and espouses only the most extreme forms of individualism.
Catholicism must face its Shadow to some extent, and those
who are most vigilant in confronting the hypocrisy are quite
often killed (I think that the 'Inquisition' was largely a
reaction to a particular GMC success).
Note that there is more than one way to 'kill' a member of
the GMC. Here a few possibilities:
1) Out and out crucifiction (pun intended)
2) Co-opting the images/language/memory of the martyr
3) Adopting the names and appearances of having
'converted', yet simply continuing the same
oppression under a new name.
Essentially what the GMC comes down to is practicing my
spirituality in such a way as to bring up the repressed
unconscious energies of the culture in which I live. This
often involves focussing upon certain 'unpopular' deity-
images, doing 'taboo' things and sometimes bringing the
'hidden' practices out into the public eye.
'Satan' derives from the word 'Shaitan', which means,
roughly, 'opponent' or 'adversary'. When someone engages
energies which are in some way contradictory to our path,
they become our 'Satan'. Such a person is seen in
different ways by different people.
Some wish to rid themselves of this entity, vacating the
office until another entity comes along. For some, Satan
is also an ally/guardian, in that She safeguards very
important energies of consciousness and, if appropriately
challenged, will yield this resource.
In this way some adherents of the GMC become 'martyrs', or
those who are killed while practicing what they know to be
their religious path. If these unconscious energies are
released too quickly or in too explosive a fashion, they
can backlash and kill the mage, as with Jesus the Christ.
In the case of Christ, however, this martyrdom was part of
his formula, and his cult therefore carried on beyond his
life, irrepressably.
The germinal form of the Great Martyrdom Cult (GMC) is what
I call The Heretics. Satanists can be converted by a
'Church of Satan', but it'll take a while to co-opt
'Heretics', since 'heretics' oppose all doctrines and
organizations, PERIOD. I tend to see the GMC as composed
of 'agnostics' and 'anarchists'.
These are the Scientific and Political cultists, respectively.
The difference between these and nihilists is that the former
are not so much proposing an alternative as opposing the
oppression of the establishment for the health of all (and
sometimes for our own greater glory!).
There are different stages that the Cult's forms undergo from
the time which they resurface until they are completely
co-opted. One of the first steps is the infiltration of their
number with what are today called 'white-light bambis', who no
more have an understanding of what magick and social
transformation are than does today's average college student
understand political activism.
A Satanist tends to oppose all authority that conflicts with
hir will. The only variable is whether this opposition is
active or passive. Heretics intentionally adopt labels which
the orthodoxy DEFINES as heretical (before or after the fact)
and they then associate with counter-cultural images.
Satanism presupposes resisting or opposing that orthodoxy.
Satanism also seems to include self-promotion, sometimes at
the expense of others. This is precisely what the Satanist
is doing with respect to society.
The Satanist BECOMES the Demon which the oppressive Orthodoxy
begins to summon in its ignorance. The Satanist simply
attempts to manifest the repressed energies. Sometimes this
can result in nasty powder-burns, however. ;>
The Satanist BECOMES an image which the orthodoxy abhors.
She behaves AND speaks in ways which derive from the
unconscious mind of the society in which she lives - i.e.
those energies which the society has repressed are given
expression in hir). It ain't about shoving the Orthodoxy's
face in any 'facts', though it may include counter-
propaganda. It is a visceral, archetypal IMAGE which is
portrayed in behavior and words.
Strict opposition and persecution includes many many people.
The GMC is not that big. Very few individuals are probably
members.
Martyrdom and Morality
There are different ways to 'break from dogma'. 'Martyrdom'
has a rather particular meaning which does not always apply
to those who are killed BECAUSE of what they say/do (e.g.
sociopathic killers).
Nobody can get 'kicked out of the Cult' because the only
way to escape the Cult is to DIE. Rebels have MANY ways
to resist oppression. Martyrs have a particular path.
It is easier to resist the orthodox dogma and avoid becoming
a martyr. It is difficult to resist until death regardless
of who is watching. However, being persecuted unto death
is not necessarily martyrdom. It may give RISE to
martyrdom, but it is not the same thing.
My Bible (American Heritage Dictionary) says:
Martyr: 1. One who chooses to suffer death rather
than renounce religious principles.
2. A person who makes great sacrifices or
suffers much in order to further a
belief, cause or principle.
3. A person who endures great suffering....
4. A person who makes a great show of
suffering in order to arouse sympathy.
From the Greek, 'martus', witness. <------- NOTE!!
When people object to my meaning, they are usually thinking
of definition #4 - a person who makes a *show* of suffering.
I mean that Satanists, Witches, Christians, etc. have
endured hardship BECAUSE of their identification with the
labels they use/d. This is not about 'making a show'. It
is about withstanding religious oppression in the pursuit
of personal freedom.
The label 'Satanist' (i.e. adversarialist) comes closest to
the direct challenge of this oppressive characteristic of
the Orthodoxy. I'm sure that it will also (as perhaps the
Temple of Set has shown) be co-opted and a new version of
the GMC will keep the 'faith'.
We are talking about those people who use a sort of social
judo upon the masses, those who hold a mirror (or more
accurately, a picture of their deep selves) and march it
down the throats of those in power. This usually results
in those in power stripping them of this picture, displaying
their fangs and BECOMING the picture to the detriment of the
martyr. All the martyr did was to live their life. This
happened not to fit in well with the popular psyche. We're
not talking 'sociopaths' here, we're talking social
psychiatrists, or maybe 'social exorcists'. :>
What MAKES a Christian/Witch/Satanist is hir individual
power. Resistance to oppressive authority is what all of
these at one time or another have shared. Just because
modern Satanism has not been as corrupted as has what is
now called 'Christianity' doesn't make it of a different
tradition in regards the GMC. There are yet elements of
the Christian complex which retain vestiges of the GMC's
influence.
The Roman Catholic Church is not Christian, not in the
sense of the Great Martyrdom Cult. The ORIGINAL
Christians, the ones who were opposed by the Roman Pagans
(yes, Pagans weren't nonviolent or nonoppressive) were
martyrs. When the Romans co-opted the language and
behaviors of these martyrs (in effect, CALLING themselves
Christian without adopting the values/theories), then the
Cult submerged. They resurfaced in Europe in response
to the Roman Catholic Church and called themselves
'Witches' (and perhaps 'Satanists'). When this holocaust
subsided, the Cult submerged once more and has been
recently resurfacing in the form of 'Witches', and more
often, 'Satanists' in response to the repressive Euro-
American Puritanism still rampant in our culture.
Let me put it another way.
The Great Martyrdom Cult is DYNAMIC. It doesn't maintain
the same image/label/location.
It is INSIDIOUS. It can never be destroyed because it
transcends conscious identification.
It is REBELLIOUS. It takes on the face of the Great Enemy
and plays out the energies that have been repressed by the
Orthodoxy.
The Tool of Language -- a Weapon of the Literati
I agree that not all those who engage modern
Satanism/Witchcraft are martyrs. That is not my point.
This Cult is very clever. When its expression begins to
be corrupted by the Orthodoxy it assumes different forms.
Language is the weapon of the literati and the literati
are often the tools of the oppressive establishment.
I tend to use atypical definitions because I look to the
word roots and try to achieve the most comprehensive,
effective meaning possible. There are very good reasons
for rejecting common associations of meaning.
One of them is to attempt to broaden a discussion or
create one. Another good reason is to help new meanings
grow. We are speaking a LIVING language. Humpty
Dumpty has a *lot* to teach us (look up Lewis Carroll).
The entirety depends on the GOALS of the expression.
If our goals are to curb discussion, speculation, and
arrive at a consensual truth, then the 'commonly accepted'
meanings are very good for this. If our goals are to
experiment, explore, challenge and inspire, then
variations are necessary.
If they are to confound, confuse and obfuscate, then
radical and complex variations are in order. I don't
think any goal is better, overall, than another.
For example, I use the term 'Christian' in many senses.
Sometimes I use it in the sense that Christians are a
part of the GMC, and I associate Witches and Satanists
in order to draw attention to the essential unity of
these sects of the GMC through time and space.
I sometimes use the term 'Christian' to mean 'one who
participates in the oppressive machine operated by the
Orthodoxy.' I would do this if I wished to point out
how the GMC in its Christian guise has been co-opted
(even if there are some within its ranks who continue to
be martyrs - the focus has now shifted to resisting the
CHRISTIAN tradition as the orthodox).
I most often use this term in reference to MYSELF to
mean 'Anointed One', which roughly translates as
'Holy One' or 'Sacred One'. Those who know ourselves to
be the Child of the Divine, the Sacred Regent who are,
at some point, sacrificed upon the altar of Nature. I
use this definition when discussing the tradition with
those who call people 'sinners' and tell the 'sinners'
that we're all 'going to Hell'.
I sometimes use the term 'Christian' to mean 'one who
places hirself upon the Cross (an esoteric concept) as
a martyr unto God'. This is often how I associate
Christians, Satanists and Witches within or without the
GMC. I am referring to this when I say that Satanists
and Witches are Christians.
As far as 'the GMC' is concerned, there is no built-in
morality in these terms. To be sure, the very strong
use of the term 'martyr' by Christian theologians in a
moral light has sullied its use, but not beyond repair
or redress.
I use it in its secular meaning - one who chooses death
rather than abandon hir spirituality. Neither is the
word 'cult' moral in in any way. Again, the term is
stigmatized by accusatory abuse. However, technically,
used by scholars, it has a rather important meaning -
a system or community of religious worship.
I am bypassing the moral meanings of these terms. I
don't recognize the Catholic Church (or any other
moralistic entity) as an authority on religion and I
wish to co-opt their abuse of the language.
My use of the phrase 'Great Martyrdom Cult' has
absolutely NOTHING to do with morality. It is a
functional descriptor:
Great - large;
Martyrdom - treading one's religious path unto death;
Cult - religious community.
I'll admit that the meanings I apply are not always the
popular ones, but they are 'commonly accepted' (especially
among those who study such things, even if they've never
combined them) and, more importantly, my INTENT is not
derogatory. I often IDENTIFY as one of them!
______________________________________________________________________
02: Isn't martyrdom an insult to Satanists?
To some, but not to the GMC members. REACTIONARIES are
not likely to be members of the GMC. GMC people are tied
into a deep unconscious energy which strives for release
(note how well the mythos of Cthulhu fits into this
theoretic). Satanists have less to do with reacting to
the conscious energies and more with tapping into what is
repressed. Martyrdom is only an insult to those who are
reactionaries against the terminology of popular
Christianity.
______________________________________________________________________
03: Do we have to die to be a martyr? How does one join the GMC?
The idea that the GMC might have a means of martyrdom
which does not necessarily lead to death has always
intrigued me (and I'm enough of a Satanist to want to
find a way to avoid crucifixion).
In the US the best means to assure that the GMC gets
a strong foothold is to support our Bill of Rights as
it stands, push for freedom of religion, and then wig
out on this freedom without physically hurting others
(i.e. practice Satanism and blow the minds of our
culture with our life-ways without breaking the laws
which protect us).
______________________________________________________________________
04: Are you saying that all Satanists have to sacrifice themselves?
Sorry, no rules. If you want to sacrifice yourself, cool.
If you want to attempt the downfall of modern civilization
as we know it so that you can rape, pillage and plunder
WITHOUT being in the military, then you are hereby
encouraged to do so.
Of course, I personally oppose such activities myself, but
I support anyone's right to attempt them. This is similar
to the way that Voltaire spoke about holding opinions. I
support people's ability and freedom of choice. I ALSO
support society's choice to attempt to restrict certain
activities in order to protect itself, even while I may
oppose individual restrictions as unwise or detrimental to
the freedom of the citizen.
The issue is ego. In too many religions the focus is upon
the group ego. A Church has 'more authority' than an
individual. A Coven is 'more important' than a Wiccan, etc.
Same goes for politics. I supposedly live in a 'democratic
republic' or some such yuck. While I think it a wonderful
country (US) I think that we are continuing to support the
tyranny of the majority and the disempowerment of the
individual. More and more people are coming to see the
truth of this.
An individual can do as he or she sees fit. That is the
Law of Thelema as I know it. A Law of Nature, a description
of how things ARE, not how they 'ought to be'. A group
can do as IT sees fit too! So governments are formed and
regulations are established to see that we can be protected
by parental entities called 'police' and, from the 'evil
outsiders', the 'military'.
The point is that Satanism is NOT about what one SHOULD do
but about who one is and what one's relationship is to the
world. We are free and mighty individuals and in order to
shrug off the chains of society we must sometimes undergo
great struggles and take great risks in the process.
Sometimes this involves self-sacrifice.
Sometimes it does not.
______________________________________________________________________
05: Do Satanists actually worship an evil god?
The term 'worship' is often abused. When this means being
required to submit to an external entity, then this is NOT
Satanism, whether the classical ruler of the Christian
Underworld is the object of adoration or not. This of
course doesn't mean that we are *prevented* from
submitting to an external (or internal or other) deity. I
like to throw myself before the Queen of Demons, personally.
When worshipping begins to mean a steadied focus, a
listening and a respect paid to an entity or being, whether
internal or external, then this is more like worship with
which I'm familiar and is indeed involved in some
Satanists' practices.
Take me, for example. I am married to the Goddess of
Destruction. I don't feel I have to bend over for Big
Honcho Satan, but I have a healthy respect for Hir and
think SHe teaches valuable lessons.
Not all Satanism has this religious overtone, however.
It is similar to the way in which some Witches simply
love 'Nature' and some focus upon a particular god,
goddess or pair for their journey. Some of us even
(GASP!) change gods/idols as we ourselves change!
______________________________________________________________________
06: Then do you *really* serve Satan?
Yes, I choose to serve Satan/Kali/Nature. I have a
vow of humility. I am under all things by my own free
will. Thus the Temple of Kaos is *Under Satan*.
______________________________________________________________________
07: Why do you identify with such a negative force?
I think of myself as a Witch, a Christian AND a
Satanist. Am I being self-negating? There are very
positive meanings (commonly held! :>) which one may
attribute to the terms 'martyr' and 'cult'.
If anything the term 'GMC' is overly POSITIVE, not
negative. I call the cult GREAT. I mean it in terms
of size, history AND value. Does this mean that I
judge it 'morally'? Well, I don't think morals
(i.e. social evaluatives) are worthwhile except for
the establishment of legal structure (admitting the
sin - the ignorance - of the natives).
In terms of my own thoughts and values, I will admit
that I think the GMC is VERY valuable.
______________________________________________________________________
08: Didn't God create Satan?
Well, yes, most intelligent Christians side with the
intelligent Jews and Muslims in attributing the
CREATION of Satan to God and in this way seeing that
SHe is quite perfect. The term 'Satan' is taken from
Judaism, where 'Shaitan' is God's Attorney, a sort of
'Bad Cop' to Jehovah's 'Good Cop'. Satan seems to be
the representative of the Id, to put it in
psychological terms, who challenges us to explore,
expand, experience ecstasy, exultation.
Satan isn't 'the Bad' to all Christians. Some see
Hir as the essential SYMBOL of our world, as sensuality
and its beckoning pleasures. Some see Satan as the
Deceiver who lures us, as does Maya, to do that over
which we'll suffer.
Does Maya have a personality, traditionally? I think
that Sri Ramakrishna and company give Her one. I know
that some Christians see Satan as one of the Faces of
God, and no more fear Hir than they would a horror-show.
Some see Hir (Satan) as a spoiled brat who disobeys the
Good and Worthy God-Parent. However, some see Hir as
a Guardian to tremendous Mystery and Wisdom. Some see
Hir AS the world. Note how often Satan and the work
of this being are associated with 'evil' by
fundamentalists and identified with 'the flesh'. Satan
has many faces for many people, and I think that this
exemplifies some of Hir titles ('the adversary';
'Father of Lies', etc.).
If you want 'historicity', then see some other
alt.satanism FAQ. Try Lupo's or Mr. Aquino's or a new one.
______________________________________________________________________
09: C'mon, what *is* Satanism? What are its religious rules?
No rules, sorry. We're talking about anarchy, the lack
of rulers. If you don't understand this, then you better
start reading some Western philosophy and quick.
______________________________________________________________________
10: Why do so many Satanists seem to be merely 'anti-Christians'?
There are many reasons that some Satanists (I don't) run
counter to Christianity.
1) Historical oppression (in their lives, in
Europe, elsewhere) associated with this
religion
2) Definition of themselves and their path (some
find it important to accept the polar Satan/God
model and act from it)
3) Herd-mentality (some are just along for the
ride, and the current trend in 'Satanic'
groups is to be at least slightly anti-Christian
-- especially anti-organized-Christian)
4) Adversarialism (this is where I get into the
picture slightly). Some of us find it important
to invoke the god of adversarialism in defense of
wisdom. Ignorance just seems to dissapate when I
start to ask questions, challenge assumptions,
argue vehemently.
______________________________________________________________________
11: So is Satanism a part of Christianity or not?
It seems that Christianity has had a major role in the
development of Satanism. From its use of Shaitan in
_The Bible_ to its persecution of rival religions,
Christianity has been a major dynamo for opposition and
thus inspires Satanism naturally.
Many other religions (often Western or Middle-Eastern,
interestingly enough) inspire this reactive kind of movement.
______________________________________________________________________
12: Why are Satanists so egotistical? Aren't they all reactionaries
following leaders who want them to be their slaves?
All action stems from self-interest. I tend to think that
I am free, but when I feel trapped, Satanism sometimes moves
me to feeling free again. I don't 'follow' anything.
Sometimes I am satanic. Sometimes I'm erotic, sometimes
I'm both.
______________________________________________________________________
13: What do Satanists believe, then? Why do they have to be anti-social?
Beliefs and such aren't part of this. As I see it this
is DEscriptive, not PREscriptive or PROscriptive. 'Do what
thou wilt' is a very useful statement to offer others
(through words and deeds) as it is accepting that which
others offer me. I can and do just as easily dispense
with this acceptance, retain the DWTW, but oppose the
energies of their behavior.
To me, Satanism is a part of a healthy society. I don't
equate it with sociopathology. Satanism is one mode of
operation, and the Law of Thelema is merely the principle
under which I understand things to operate. It seems to
describe people quite well.
______________________________________________________________________
14: Does believing certain things keep one from being a member of the GMC?
What about Science?
These are just ideations. GMC has to do with reflecting
the shadow side of society. Ideations are threatening to
society if it is stuck in one world-view, but they aren't
like a nightmare. We are talking imagery here. Some
nice ideas in imagery, but not much with regard to Science.
The worst that modern Science has to offer is conscious
extinction at the end of personal life. Most 'sciences'
won't examine this subject, however, because it goes
beyond 'physically observed data'. Phew!
This is the reason that modern Science is stuck on
materialism. It began as a faction of the GMC, but it was
co-opted by those Christian 'scientists' who didn't take
it to the interior world of the psyche. Magick involves
taking Science to the subjective world. That is why it
is spurned by modern Science. That is why it is spurned
by modern Christianity.
It is much easier to leave the repressed energies in
the social psyche rather than dredge them up by focussing
on Sociology and Psychology. Today these fields are
treated with disdain by most 'hard-scientists'.
______________________________________________________________________
15: What is to be gained from Satanism and nonbelief?
The practice of Satanism can bring me a renewed
self-determination, self-worth, and generally enable me
to reclaim my self-respect. It is antagonistic,
admittedly, yet it is also self-empowering.
The practice of nonbelief can bring me a clarity of
mind and a less attached, mature approach to others and
the world. Belief is for the mind what faith is for
the heart. Both work well for those without experience,
but as soon as we come to know the divine (Satan),
these are hardly worth bothering about.
In essense, NOTHING is to be gained by practicing these
things, yet it feels good, so why not do it? I like it
and it works for me. Is there any better reason,
ultimately?
______________________________________________________________________
16: Is the GMC solely a Western cult?
The Jewish/Christian/Wiccan(Neopagan)/Satanist line of
strict heresy in the face of oppressive establishments
is fairly isolated as far as I can see. Hinduism and
Buddhism, for example, with which I'm familiar, are the
stay-at-home, chanting/starvation-types. There is no
martyrdom fixation in their tradition.
I doubt we'll find anything similar with any but a few
strays in Eastern cultures. It is a largely WESTERN
phenomenon. Then again, I'd like to hear everything you
can dig up, since I'm no historian. ;>
______________________________________________________________________
17: Why can't you tell us more? How can we recognize members of the GMC?
Until I'm asked more specific questions I don't know much,
and some questions I will not be able to answer in any
case (given the premise from which they are asked). As
with occult 'mysteries', it is less a matter of the oaths
to which I've been sworn than the difficulty of expressing
in words what I've experienced over time.
Most GMC members don't even know WE are part of it, let
alone who ELSE might be. I can ONLY tell a member of the
martyrdom cult by how the words/ideas which they espouse,
how the appearance which they present to society at large,
interacts with that same society. If someone perpetually
foster power-over relationships, then I usually figure that
they aren't in the GMC or that they have a very particular
role within it that is subtle and deceptive.
I tend to assume that power-over corrupts, no exceptions.
If you can make a case against this I'd like to hear it,
but I've found that GMC arises from those without much of
this power. Sure their personal power allows them to
think and act beyond simple subsistence (and they are
sometimes called 'Middle Class'), but they don't really
have much coercive power beyond this, else they would not
wish to dig down into the social subconscious. They'd be
too busy 'enjoying the limelight'.
______________________________________________________________________
18: CREDITS AND COPYRIGHTS
People who helped flesh out this theory:
Semhaza
Scott Locklin (Lupo the Butcher)
Neijm
Bill Ellis
Chris 'ICE' English
Nachiketa
Thanks one and all. Also particular thank you to Pamela Greene,
whose honesty inspired the trend of multiple "FAQs" for newsgroups.
===================================================
"So we'll go to the top of the toppest blue space,
The Official Katroo Birthday Sounding-Off Place!
Come on! Open your mouth and sound off at the sky!
Shout loud at the top of your voice, 'I AM I!
ME!
I am I!
And I may not know why
But I know that I like it.
_Three cheers_! I AM I!'"
Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss) _The Big Birthday Book_
===================================================
This file also sold under other nefarious labels as:
SATANISM AND THE GREAT MARTYRDOM CULT
(or 'GMC') (A Dialectic)
BY:
The Order of K@os Under Satan
or was that
Temple Of Ka@s Under Satan? hmm.
===================================================
(c) 2002-2666 nocTifer
Arkaotika
6632 Covey Rd.
Forestville, CA 95436
EOF
