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To: thelema93-l@hollyfeld.org
From: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (nigris (333))
Subject: Re: An essay:  Thelemites and Society
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 02:15:30 -0700 (PDT)

49971012 aa2 Hail Satan!

do what the fuck you want
most of the essay deleted, see the original for context.


Nexist {DAR} :
# ...what would happen if every Thelemite...  were rounded up and 
# locked away?  

unlikely.  Thelemites would escape or turn the system around so that
the guards were then the inmates.  you're dwelling in the 'Thelemite
is the person who goes by this label' type of groupthink again.


# All in all, the net result on society would be nil.  

extremely false.  a horrid crime should a paralysis of real Thelemites
ever come into being.  again, I say it'd never happen.  people would
immediately recognize the problems inherent to such a maneuver.  this
is what WWII was fought over to a great extent.


# ...individuals are anonymous and replaceable within society....  

this is utterly false, and the ideals of the US of A demonstrate the
contrary.  the individual is replaceable on the *assembly line*, and
this is one of the problems with industrial society and mentality,
but in society the geniuses, the innovators, the unique and those 
who make Really Cool Things are compensated either while they are
alive or their heirs are lauded with fat wads of whatever the current
power-trading baubles happen to be.

to some extent one can look to the "tycoons" of a number of different
industries to see how Thelemites are treated by society.  and they
don't have to be rich.  look at Joshua A Norton as another example,
his aura inspired proper respect without his having to achieve fame
and power from works and literal station.


# those who are recognized by society are considered as exceptions to the
# group, rather than examples of that group.  

again, you're dwelling on the cultish identification schema of the neuvo-
'Thelemic' masquerade.  I say, wake up and smell the philosophy.  Thelema
is not a religion, it is demonstrated by the firm and strident of will
and seldom are those who are Thelemites identified as such, especially
by themselves.  didn't this come across in Crowley's or Rabelais' writ?


# What we need to do is form groups for the sole purpose of contributing to
# society.  

you need this.  MOO!


# Furthermore, these groups must be dedicated to Society and not just 
# Thelemites.  

cults tend to protect their own interests.  this is the way of the
religious.  groupthink usually leads to groupact, which leads to
groupoppression.  it is a sad but common pattern.


# If the only visible community work benefits
# the group directly (for example a Thelemic College Fund), then the group is
# seen as selfish and the complaints of its activists are viewed as also
# selfish....

religious are typically selfish.  when the religious get big enough 
then this sometimes leads to a wide variety of public works and charities.
entire societies, especially if the religion loosens up a bit, will at
times become generous.  I think ascetic, mind-numbing, dissolutory and
martyring groups, when they achieve power, can do wonderful things for
the poor and helpless.  it is this which is Christianity's virtue, and
is demonstrated in the acts of people like Mother Teresa or the various
institutions who set up facilities to minister (bodily) to the poor and
destitute (often monastics undertake this as a kind of karma yoga, at
times on the basis of 'effacing their ego' and they ought to be seriously
commended for their efforts, however futile given the current trends).

 
# Until we, as a group, prove empirically to society that we care, why should
# we expect society to care about us?  

who expects this?  who is 'we'?  I think the cult is best left behind.
the church, the rites, the religion can rot.  what does it do but lead
to its own perpetuation?  you're beginning to catch onto this perhaps.
development of AGAPE is where it is at, and that seems to happen outside
religious cults more than inside.  elsewise a lot of fragmentation and
focus on compassion and suffering has to occur before the transition is made.  

let society ignore "Thelemites".  they deserve to be ignored.  if they
do anything of note then it'll come to attention soon enough, won't it?  

on the OTHER hand, I think there is something to be said for 'working behind
the scenes' in the shadows of a culture, fomenting inspired genius and doing
the work of the shaman, walking between the worlds, evading the remuneration
and glory of the Saint, attaining to the Ugly Face and yet fostering something
in the CORE of the individual which may never be seen.  this is why I value
Crowley -- he did what the FUCK he wanted and perhaps he achieved free love.

free love, right now!
_______________________________________________________________________________
nigris (333) -- tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com -- http://www.hollyfeld.org/~tyagi/
 caution: I don't read all posts, filtering out those of < 3000 bytes.  
 I select text by key authors.  cc me if you absolutely need a response.
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