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To: thelema93-l@bitsy.hollyfeld.org
From: LilWing623@AOL.COM
Subject: LOVE in Theory and Practice
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 10:56:31 -0400
Do what thou wilt shall be thew hole of the law.
In a message dated 96-08-19, Jeffrey Smith wrote:
<< is Agape truly inclusive of sexual promiscuity? Or is sexual
activity just one of those things allowed by "do what thou wilt"? The
Scriptural paradigm speaks of love "With all your soul, with all your
heart, and all your might"--suggesting more of making Love an operation
of Will, to be expressed as circumstances dictate. And I recall nothing
in Liber Al to contradict this. >> >>
Right Jeffrey, Scripture says that, and Liber AL says things to that
effect, but is this Agape? I doubt it very much... that is, if we are
describing Agape in the way the authors of the New Testament undestood it.
And Agape is *necessarily* in New Testament terms *exclusive*, not inclusive,
of sexual promiscuity. This is because theoretically, Agape is only to be had
between two beings anyway : God and man.
But, there are TWO kinds of Love. Agape -- which is exclusive of sex,
and which is a more "Divine" kind of love, and that which is best described
as Eros -- the Love that we have in our everyday lives between each other,
and also our Love for the gods or God. And Liber AL supports this : "Nor let
the fools mistake love; for there are love and love. There is the dove, and
there is the serpent. Choose ye well." (I:57).
When Liber AL talks love, even of Nuit's unwavering love for us, it is
a selective love. Agape does not love selectively. It is an unquestioning
love... a love that would prompt someone perhaps to make the supreme
sacrifice for the one that s/he loves, as in the case of God sacrificing his
son for mankind, and Jesus sacrificing himself for mankind, in New Testament
terms. Kathleen Higgins, in her book on Neitzsche's _Zarathustra_ put it
accurately : "The Christian law of love...proposes a goal of absolute
self-denial and unselfishness, a goal that's incompatible with even the
minimal degree of self interest that's essential to continued existance as a
Self" (62). This is why I mentioned that the only cases I can find for Agape
in Crowlean Thelema are: 1) as an archetypal sort of love... in theory, but
not [usually] in practice, and 2) K&C of the HGA which involves sacrifice,
and, is in every way an `Agapic' union. Chapter Delta eta in Liber Aleph
cunningly describes Agape, detaching it from Eros : "Love is an Expression of
the Will of the Body, yea, *and more also*, of that which created the Body;
and its Operation is commonly between One and One...", pseudo italics mine.
Sexual Love as a path to the gods is part of Eros, and is described in
detail in Plato's Symposium, where at one point it's said : "[Love] is
mediator who spans the chasm which divides them, & therefore by him the
universe is bound together... For God mingles not with man; but through Love
all the intercourse & converse of gods with men...is carried on..." (202e --
303a).
Is Agape prescribed per Libers AL and Aleph as the way we should Love
in practice? Well, I can only find evidence *against* it, not for. "...nor
do I demand aught in sacrifice " (I:58) and " For one kiss wilt thou then be
willing to give all; but whoso gives one particle of dust shall lose all in
that hour." I believe Liber Aleph in Epsilon nu (145) also warns against
self-sacrifice for the sake of others : "But to persist in Dullness, in
Satiety, and in mutual Irritation & Abhorrence, is contrary to the way of
Nature. So therefore there is no rule in any such Case, but the Law shall
give Light to everyone that hath it in his Heart & by that Wisdom, let him
govern himself." Paul, in Lett to Corinths says something similar, but, in
true Xian form, limits it to 'unbelievers' : " (Should the *unbelieving*
partner be determined to separate, however, separation let it be; in such
cases the Christian brother or sister is not tied...)" (7:15). Sound
familiar? Remove the Sinful Restriction and we have "O lover, if thou
wilt, depart" (I:41). I repeat what I mentioned to you yesterday Jeffrey,
that Paul's chapter dealing with sexuality is kept completely separate from
the first chapters of Letters, because even the Bible distinguishes Agape
from Eros.
Well, I could go on all day, but I think I should quit here.
Love is the law, love under Will.
Elaine
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