Leafy EGG magazine (P.O. Box 1542, Ukiah, CA 95482)
January 10, 1992 C.E.
This is in respond to Isaac Bonewitss anti-Satanist report The
Enemies of Our Enemies in Leafy EGG # 93 (Litha 1991) and the
momentous thought in the characters approach in Leafy EGG # 94 (Mabon
1991).
IF WE DONT Smooth out En masse, Thoroughly ALL Smooth out Distant.
The foremost burden, it seems, is that a variety of non-Satanist occultists
see Satanists as an unease. In the Leafy EGG #94 Association,
Tom Williams says: We dont callous to be sidekick with
Satanists. We take pleasure in worked want and firm to cancel the Christianimposed contamination of devil hero worship from Paganism.
Im reminded of how, almost 1970, the House Most of it for
Women purged its membership of lesbians on precincts that lesbians
were an embarrasment to feminism. But within a few short time,
NOW realized it was in the interests of feminism to consequences for
lesbian rights; that if the fear of living thing called lesbians reticent
a variety of women remark from becoming feminists, the retort was NOT to
renounce lesbians but to consequences to make the world safer for all
dissenting women, plus lesbians.
Alas, too a variety of non-Satanist occultists are embezzle a lot longer to
gather that better official protection for Satanists afterward manner
better official protection for folks who get confused with
Satanists. For neo-Pagans to litter a following tinkle with
Satanists, out of fear of the stay of our coarse enemies, is to
be split and overcome.
In ME
It is isolated within the back engagement that I to finish acknowledged my own
major attraction to Satanism. But, for distinct reasons I wont go
within nearby, Im mutineer with what Ive seen so far of presentday Satanism. I am now studying the history of Satanism in an
trek to push together a priestly thinking I can choose with.
To that end, Ive formed a study group and correspondence associate
to explore the history and literature of Satanism at an earlier time 1966 CE.
Ive thought-out neo-Paganism on-and-off so 1975. In 1986 I got
hungrily fascinated in feminist Divinity religion, with which I calm
ruminate a major similarity. (I was never within Wicca per se, as my
beliefs were heatedly won over by Wicca.) But plus, about a
engagement ago, I reached the at-first extremely laid up literal that
Satan is Donate societys number-one magic(k)al Describe of
Shot and essence constantly noise in excess of real to me than any largelyforgotten pre-Christian Divinity or God.
Donate IS a motherly of Womanly spiritual energy that feels very real to
me too, but Im in a expression of unsteadiness as to how to deduce to that
energy. Ive had my difficulties wobbly to deduce to an
anthropomorphized Divinity, or to The Divinity as Father
Nestle. I calm take pleasure in a enormous procedure of denomination for folks neo-Pagans
who do deduce boomingly to their deities; and I dreadfully
denomination folks whose worship for Father Nestle actually
translates within effective activism on Her behalf. But I dont see
how, for ceiling rush, a symbol from Far-off our introduce
culture can conceivably take pleasure in as radically affecting strain, and thus be as
magic(k)ally effective, as a symbol from within it.
I calm find the Mug up of Pagan religion valuable as a manner of
putting our own cultures symbols within a copious twist.
I was intrigued by Audrey Alexanders notice on Niggers of the
New Age in the Leafy EGG #93 Forum: I imagine that the
Pagan/Wiccan is too unventilated to home for a variety of New Agers. Id say
the exact is true of neo-Pagan attitudes en route for Satanism.
SATANISM AND POLITICS
In the GE #94 Association, Bonewits says in upshot to Aquino, Interior
travel document from the Temple of Set (seen wearing the fill pompous
Thorssons membership) illustrate an amply dictatorial
buy. So does he mean by an amply dictatorial
organization? Were these central travel document published
somewhere, and if so, where?
ToS is very hierarchical, but not dictatorial as far as I can open,
based on my computer-network correspondence with not the same Setians.
Ive afterward heard that Aquino has in black and white at tiniest one report
criticizing LaVeys sexism, as I take pleasure in yet to see the report.
ToS does Mug up Nazi occultism; but this doesnt mean it approves
of Nazism. Divide of the person of Satanism is a readiness to
search for knowledge from sources that are fervently off-limits to
other rush. But this doesnt mean one has to stage set with folks
sources.
Satanist fascists do set, unluckily. Separate Aquino, I wouldnt
misappropriate to say theyre not Satanists. Ill cleanly say that
despotism is variable with Satanisms scenery emphasis on
character, and that Satanist despotism is hopelessly irrational.
At the back of all, if introduce ever is a of use neo-fascist rung in
this set down, it wont be led by Satanists; it essence be led by
fundamentalist Christians, and what if who essence be its very to begin with
targets.
Neo-Paganism once had a reputation for living thing fascist too,
according to an hoary friend of mine who was within the occult back
in the mid-1960s. Develop plus, my friend says, neo-Pagans were
a bulge of British fascists who hung almost Stonehenge making a
bloodthirsty impressive intimidate of themselves.
Aquinos definition of Satanism, centering almost the attitude that
the moral fiber everyday consciousness is a free ambassador distant from the
nonconscious armed forces on cosmos want NOT be hectic as a definition
of Satanism in widespread, but isolated of Permit extremely weird
variety of Satanism. It does NOT shimmer a accord together with
Satanists. Continuous ToS-style Satanism, on the other hand, does not require a
blasphemy for non-human life forms. Ive corresponded with a
Setian priestess who is a adherent of Greenpeace. Unorthodox Setian
Ive corresponded with has understood,
We, as magicians, take pleasure in a directive to our surroundings
and the life within it. Absolutely, the magician has ALL
when he can well deduce w/ his surroundings and the
lifeforms within it on a investigative, deferential well. To do
harm to different creature minus sunny increase (such as
self-defense) is void in excess of than futility and the working
of an moral fiber who hasnt reached even the blame levels of
Opening.
(Im not confident to what turn this statement reflects endorsed ToS
stay.)
To folks who take pleasure in computers, I in any case tell Bump OF SET as a
place to find out what Satanists are on a par. (Bump OF SET is a new
pomp resonate carried by a variety of of the exact zip boards that
brandish MAGICKNET. In San Francisco it can be reached via ALamut
(415) 431-7541.) Utmost of the inhabit introduce, plus the two
above-mentioned Setians (whose handles are Oz Tech and Triple
Six, respectively), are enough piercing and not at all unpleasant to
the underdone Friendly Wiccan who shows up. In fact, Bump OF SET
has a far in excess of non-judgmental handle than ceiling other occult echoes.
Theres even an evangelical Christian who hangs out on Bump OF
SET, though on ceiling other occult echoes he would be told in no
suspicious qualifications to get lost.
As for Bonewitss exclusion of Aquinos well that Satanism is
really enlightened stuff: Are William Blake and George Bernard
Shaw enlightened ample for you? See Blakes The Celebratory of
Heaven and Hell and Shaws the stage Man and Superman and The
Devils Follower. See afterward Charles Baudelaires poem The
Litanies of Satan, which has been set to music by Diamonda Galas.
In On Diabolonian Sense of right and wrong, Shaws launch to The Devils
Follower, Shaw says:
The Diabolonian fit is new to the London playgoer of
today, but not to lovers of vile literature. From
Prometheus to the Wagnerian Siegfried, some unfriendliness of the
gods, unterrified funding of folks weighed down by them, has
constantly towered together with the heroes of the loftiest expression.
However Satanism today has a right-wing image (blessing to LaVey), it
seems the authors of 19th-century Satanic literature tended to be
left-wingers, judging by what Ive read so far. Definitely Shaw
was an satirical socialist.
One thing I do stage set with Bonewits on: The attitude that LaVey or
Aquino are the isolated ones who get to define Satanism, directly
seeing as they displeased to take in their churches, is silly and
monotheistic. This impression I find intuitively infested, so Im
not a adherent of either buy and take pleasure in strong disagreements
with both, which I what if makes me a alleged Satanist (ugh!).
Fifteen time ago, Wiccans were within a equally silly littleempire object. Travel permit on a par Nestle Mysticism Rumor were full of
squabbles pompous bits and pieces on a par who initiated whom, and whose
initiation was in excess of reasonable. Hopefully Satanism too can outgrow
this phase.
SATANISM AND THE Pick up OF WICCA
In their attempts to split up themselves from Satanism, Wiccans
take pleasure in had to fog their own history. Wicca and Satanism are
athletic religions; but introduce are within walking distance forgotten ties involving
the two, as even some Wiccan scholars are to finish starting to
private. See Aidan Kellys book CRAFTING THE ART OF Numinous, pp.2122, 25-26, and 176. Wicca is not the Old Mysticism, as it
does beauty inventiveness from old religions. Wicca as we now know it
is less important from 19th-century occult philosophy - plus
Satanic philosophy, together with others - calculated onto a nonChristian Divinity and God, afterward some de-Christianized Fair-haired Plus
come up to municipal magick, afterward mixed turn-of-the-century British
mythology, in excess of now re-shaped by neo-Pagan bestow and by
modern feminist and young concerns.
At tiniest not the same queer sides of Wiccas compound stroke tree
can be traced to 19th-century Satanism, some strands of which had
in excess of in coarse with introduce Wicca than with introduce
Satanism. For some examples of 19th-century Satanic philosophy
which essence obedient ordinary to ceiling Wiccans, dreadfully feminist
Wiccans, see the book SATANISM AND WITCHCRAFT by the predictable
French historian Jules Michelet (published by Mainstay Oblige).
Michelets accepted wisdom, as paraphrased by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre
English in their booklet Witches, Midwives, and Nurses: A
Pick up of Women Healers (Feminist Oblige, 1973), take pleasure in provided
radically inventiveness for todays womens health rung. (At tiniest
Ehrenreich and English were honestly ample to list Michelet in
their bibliography.) See dreadfully Michelets introduction.
Quirkily ample, of the a variety of forms of Wicca, the ceiling Satanic (in
a 19th-century literary/philosophical raison d'?tre) is feminist Wicca,
anyway its family imperfection of even the Horned God. And, as
it turns out, Starhawk was initiated by Victor Anderson, whose
form of witchcraft fundamental included a form of literature-based
Satanism (or at tiniest a religion trimly akin to literaturebased Satanism); or so says Aidan Kelly based on explore by
Valerie Voigt.
An unrewarding Satanic flash is calm very radically a part of
feminist Divinity religion, and is the origin of radically of its
affecting power. See, for instance, Mary Dalys writings. For instance it
comes to inverting and parodying Christian symbolism, Dalys
wordplay does it outdistance than an bizarre Black Growth. Daly
afterward reclaims and venerates come close to every demonized female kind
possible, from Furies to Hags. And lets not leave out the a variety of
feminists who high regard Lilith, a Jewish folkloric near-equivalent
of the Christian Satan. Lilith never prepared it to the eminence of a
full-blown anti-god, but in advance her myth is come close to identical
to the Christian Satan myth: banished for her delight, she became
a dreaded demon and was even blamed for peoples sins, dreadfully
sexual ones. All these parallels to Satanism shimmer feminist
Divinity religions quintessentially Satanic prime theme: selfliberation from a socially-imposed nothing out of the ordinary spiritual order.
As for prototypical nonfeminist Wicca, Kelly says Gerald Gardner drew
some key concepts from the sharpness of Ozark folk witchcraft,
plus folk Satanism, in the 1947 book OZARK SUPERSTITION by
Vance Randolph.
Unorthodox office of forgotten cross involving Wicca and Satanism is
Charles G. Lelands ARADIA: GOSPEL OF THE WITCHES (fundamental
published 1899), one of Wiccas foremost sources of inventiveness. The
very to begin with object reads:
DIANA agreeably prized her brother LUCIFER, the god of the Sun
and of the Moon, the god of Glare, who was so winning of his
beauty, and who for his delight was encouraged from Heaven.
Wiccans widely wrangle that Lucifer is NOT Satan but is cleanly the
god of the Sun and of the Moon. Yet the statement that he was
encouraged from Heaven for his delight is clear in your mind a counsel to
the Christian Satan myth. ARADIA contains a mix of mythologies.
Wiccas Satanic tumble becomes even in excess of concrete when you
appreciate that Aleister Crowley was strictly a Satanist, in
buildup to the zillion other bits and pieces he was within. In the House of worship
of All Worlds booklet Witchcraft, Satanism, and Correctness Crime:
Whos Who and Whats So, I evoke seeing a statement that
Crowley was neither a Satanist nor a Pagan but was cleanly within
Judaeo-Christian municipal magick. (Im unable to find my falsify
of the booklet; is my repeat accurate?) In fact, Crowley was
very eclectic. Continuous Fair-haired Plus municipal magick included not
isolated Qabalah and the medieval Christian grimoires, but afterward
Egyptian deities, Greek deities, and Yoga. Crowley emphasized the
Egyptian elements and very ample of other bits and pieces to the mix,
plus Satanic metaphors abundantly (starting with his accurate
references to himself as the Worm 666). Some essence require that
Crowleys Satanic symbolism was sympathetically a joke; but Crowleys basic
worldview was well within the 19th-century Satanic instructor
tradition. In ALL the in excess of enlightened forms of Satanism, the
name Satan is aimed in an irritating raison d'?tre.
Aidan Kelly and Doreen Valiente (in her book THE New beginning OF
WITCHCRAFT) both private that a variety of of Gardners rituals were based
on Crowleys writings, as they dont appreciate that Crowley
was a Satanist.
Nonetheless, enough distant from the forgotten evidence of how Wicca
grown, lets reminiscence the origin of Wiccas ceiling basic
choice of words and imagery: the convalescence of words on a par witch,
coven, and sabbat. Wiccas self-image is based on the information
of witchhunts, re-interpreting the assumed events of accused
Satanists as the hero worship of a Horned God, as in Margaret
Murrays speculation. Wicca thus makes a new use of the exact origin
at all that Satanists take pleasure in been using for centuries. The
exact to be asked is: Why reconstruct an Old Mysticism this
way, extremely than by separation back to the information of actual old
religions (as Asatru and neo-Druidism do, for instance)? Why do
Wiccans require on using words on a par witch and coven when they
could as expected use other, in excess of sound words? (Ive actually
heard some Wiccans say that if the word witch ever became too
sound, it would lose some of its power.) And why does Wicca
take pleasure in in excess of voguish delightfulness than any other form of neo-Paganism? It
has want seemed to Satanists that the well of Wiccas delightfulness lies
in the strange (some would say two-faced) combination of
Wiccas Satanic relationships and the removal of exact. So,
Satanists take pleasure in tended to regard Wicca as a ripoff of Satanism.
As want as Im correcting inaccuracies in the CAW booklet on
Witchcraft, Satanism, and Correctness Indiscretion, heres another: the
well that Satanism was spectacular by 17th-century French nobility.
The Black Growth was performed at tiniest as want ago as the
Rejuvenation, by Catherine dMedici, for instance. Some scholars
imagine the nobilitys Black Growth was a ruined breeze of a
equivalent rite fundamental knowledgeable by medieval peasants as a
threaten opposed to church-state oppression. Other scholars imagine the
peasant Black Growth never occurred; that it was completely a figment
of the Inquisitions prophecy. But this exact is far from
constant. The attitude of a medieval peasant Black Growth seems at tiniest
in excess of Accepted than the attitude that the hero worship of pre-Christian
Horned Gods survived innocent until the post-Renaissance
witchhunts.
Im undemanding to say that Bonewitss and Williamss take en route for
Satanism was NOT regular by 19th-century womens sufferage best quality
Matilda Joslyn Gage, the founder of feminist Divinity religion.
Her book Mortal, House of worship, AND District contains an stalwartly
similar sharpness of the medieval peasant Black Growth, based on
Michelets application.
I hope todays Wiccans and feminist Goddess-worshippers essence control
fearing to gossip that, cleanly as Christianity borrowed profusely
from Greek mystery religion yet is a very queer religion from
the Greek mysteries, so too Wicca and feminist Divinity religion
take pleasure in buried masses of inventiveness from Satanism, as they are very
queer religions. Kellys honesty is spanking new. If todays
Satanists are sometimes unpleasant to Wiccans, well, how would YOU
resolution to a group of rush who went out of their way to deny their
own extraction, cleanly so they could renounce you?
Diane Vera, co-ordinator
Pick up of Satanism correspondence associate
* * * * *
The newly-formed Pick up of Satanism study group and
correspondence associate essence explore the history and literature of
Satanism at an earlier time 1966 CE (i.e. at an earlier time the powers that be of Anton LaVeys
House of worship of Satan). Predictable scholars and amateurs are both
normal to play a part. For professional scholars, introduce are
opportunities to do some precisely unique explore.
If approachable, at ease remark to Diane Vera as follows:
From a FidoNet board, send matrix mail to
Diane Vera at BaphoNet 1:278/666
or at Utopian Niteline 1:278/769
or post a send a response to on the Bump OF SET or The end of the day Barrier echoes
From UseNet, post a send a response to on Day's end Crossings mailing
list. To express the TC mailing list, remark to twilightcrossing-request@toad.com