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To: zazas-l@hollyfeld.org (ZAZAS-L Satanist Elist)
From: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (nocTifer)
Subject: (Z) Lineage and Authority (fwd)
Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 13:18:49 -0700 (PDT)

49971010 aa2 Hail Satan!  				

 
Christeos Pir:
# > ...even if there were some sort of connection back to "Jesus,"
# > (assuming such a person actually lived), so what? Historically of mild
# > interest, perhaps, but of no use whatsoever in a spiritual context, IMO.

this seems an over-generalization.  some people's "spiritual context" does
appear to center very heavily on certain personages and periods of history,
they presume that a kind of 'magical energy' conducts through initiation,
and that this can be controlled and directed to individuals who are deemed
'ready to receive it' and 'responsible to continue the lineage'.

personally I think it is all in the minds of the people and constitutes a
kind of crutch which ultimately co-creates what I call a 'social ego'.
just as an individual imagines all sorts of fantastic causes and effects 
of an illusory 'I' and/or 'soul' and how this is attached to an animated 
(living) body, so social groups fantasize about the integration of their 
identity, history, continuity and the authority which emerges from this.

like social laws which have little or no basis in natural law (often 
even opposing this desire of wild human consciousness), these social
fantasies about Jesus, Gautama Buddha, Lao Tzu, Muhammad and other Magi 
and their religious 'family' have no basis in natural dynamics and
principles but constitute a group dream facilitating community integrity
and systematic authority.  the "spiritual value" of this depends on the
individual(s) who may interact with the societies which use them and 
what the individual might derive from this interaction.
 

julianus@enteract.com
# Having a valid lineage is considered an absolute necessity in most 
# Traditions (religious, magical, or otherwise.)  

that is really what describes the nature of a 'tradition', though at
times this focus may be shifted to a certain rite, linguistic set,
or other behavior rather than centering on a human succession.


# One must have a tracable line of succession back to the source.  

the problem is that even when this line breaks down or never existed
social groups fabricate false stories about such a succession.  for
this reason all traditions are suspect and the age of a tradition
is inversely proportional to its traceability.  

also, the further and further one gets from the Magus, the more and
more perverted and corrupted is the image of that individual, let alone
any sort of mystical 'energy' that is presumed to be transmitted (I 
contend it does not) as passed down through the human line.  it is 
reasonable, therefore, to contrast your emphasis on traceability with 
PROXIMITY (that is, those traditions are best which are NEWEST and 
which we can discern originate from sources of quality NOW rather 
than some unseen distant past that is probably a lie anyway).  the 
source of greatest proximity is ONESELF, the newest tradition is that 
which WE are creating as we live.


# It is often said that no matter how technically perfect one's 
# practice may be, without proper lineage that practice will be either 
# futile or actually detrimental.  

as I see it right now this is a political ploy designed to disrupt the
geniuses and innovative individuals who may be competing for attention
with the social groups.  many religious institutions have wielded 
their influence in politics to squash competitors in a very similar
manner as creating what is called a 'monopoly' in modern business 
practice.

look at what the conservative Christian establishment says about its
competition for some examples of this.  Inquisitory reprisals and
Albigensian suppression may not be possible, but propaganda and media
are potent weapons where once arms served the religious hubris.

part of this propaganda is the "lineage authority" which is ascribed
and provided emphasis, and the neuvoreligious have in many cases 
continued to buy this falsity hook, line and sinker, now claiming that
lineage from Crowley, Gardner, LaVey or some mythic "pre-Christian Old 
Religion", are what are required in order to be "authoritative".

again, I feel that this is mostly a social mechanism of oppression,
that most social groups are detrimental to innovation and genius
except as COUNTERPOINT.  it may become a kind of crysalis out of which 
the genius may be thrust by virtue of refusing to conform to the 
idiocy which passes for "wisdom"; material serving to perpetuate the
herd-structure rather than having deeply transformative value.


# I do think it is possible to "make the connection" on one's own, 
# but I do think that lineage helps to some extent (and it certainly 
# is not enough to rely only on one's pedigree.)

the question becomes what it "helps" and how.  I think that the
inability to rely on oneself for spiritual authority ("one's own
pedigree"?) is a product of this lineage-worship and that the 
unfortunate byproduct of the domination of social egoic structure
is the disintegration of individual integrity and authority.  it
is no longer sufficient to speak from experience, with eloquence,
and to the heart of the matter.  now a social litmus test must be
passed to be sure that the individual is programmed sufficiently
into the herd and will not break the hallowed rules that have
become the dictate of the new God (the Order).

that 'old time religion' located authority in external gods,
spirits, voices from the sky and bushes, and near to one's shoulder.
the New Covenant instructed the perfection of the Church, its sacred
Book, and the Magick Rite that makes everything OK.  having barely
moved from this latter, we still look to the Priest (religious
authority of the correct lineage) to resolve our difficulties and
provide direction, equating membership in the lineage with maturity
of spirit.

the Thelemite requires no lineage, considering them all suspect.
she finds a company of individual authorities comforting, knowing
that she needn't keep a guard raised lest her integrity as a
perfect source of wisdom for hirself be called into question
based on some social membership, allegiance to a social leader, 
or conformity to an approved public conduct.  

	Behold!  the rituals of the old time are black.

	Let the evil ones be cast away, let the good ones
	be purged by the prophet!  

	Then shall this Knowledge go aright.

ALL the old rites are black, cast into doubt and up for revision.
those which offend and retain outmoded systems of thought and
feeling are evil and are best cast aside, whether they are the
hallowed Supermass of Jehosaphat or the Supreme Self-Negation
of the Primal Elders.  each Thelemite is hir own prophet and
discerns this through trial and error, using the method of science
to liberate hirself from the horrors to which hir species would
subject hir in blind and unthinking ambition.  then and only then 
will the gnosis be achieved, that beautiful insight and deep 
experience which may only be approached alone as a plant grows
alone, drawing nurturance from sun, air, water and soil.

blessed beast!
________________________________________________________________________
nocTifer: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com  ---  http://www.abyss.com/tokus
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