Thursday, April 21, 2016

On Public Criticism of the O.T.O.

Heyo-O.T.O. Sisters and Brothers!

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law!

Today I'm going to talk about a thing that annoyed me yesterday, and I hope my love of the Order comes through, as well as the actual V.I.T.R.I.O.L. I feel looking at some of the stuff that went down yesterday, because Eff. That. Sht.

Twice yesterday, I saw O.T.O. members respond to perceived attacks and criticisms of the Order indignantly.

Say we don't shower again, motherfucker.
One person brought a comment made by a long-time friend to me in private, asking how I could let it slide, and another vague-booked about a similar insult, which may or may not have been the same incident.

Alright, so don't get me wrong, I get it....

I really enjoy pissing off some of the ex-members and soon-to-be-ex-members of the O.T.O. by talking about what a great time I'm having in our amazingly diverse, delightful, and sometimes dysfunctional family. I like to talk about how cool it is that the Order is growing, spreading the umbrella of Thelema across the world, making it accessible to people so that every man woman and child has the opportunity to go through the process of transforming from normal people into Master Magicians, and beyond.

Nothing riles ex-members up like seeing someone having a good time in the Order, I tell you what. There's a dude that I can get into an apoplectic fit on Facebook just by talking about how the O.T.O. is the most effective structure for teaching Hermetics since the sacking of Rome. I imagine he has to clean his monitor for a week after I do it, and I'm still petty enough to get a kick out of that.

It's awesome.

So yea, screwing with people who are just bitter because they didn't get reimbursed for some gas money on a road trip they offered to provide without mentioning they expected some gas money is one thing.

Even riling up the folks who have the "True mysteries of QBL and the REAL A.'.A.'. and people who have "Established more (in my own name) to advance Thelema than any structure that stemmed from Crowley legitimately ever..." is fun.

These haters and ex-members who left because we didn't automagickally suck their cocks* when they declared themselves Ipsissimus and the Second Prophet of Thelema** deserve all the derisions and mockeries we can aim at them, if we feel like it, because  they are extremists, nut jobs, and are actively pursuing an agenda that legitimately defines them as "Enemies of the Order."

I see it as my personal duty to help them demonstrate to as many people as possible that they are ridiculous parodies of actual Thelemites, spittle-flecked and mentally ill, in need of meds, treatments, and a whole friggin' lot of therapy, or at least a weekend in Peru with a shaman.

Or two.

Cause I like that, it's in my blood. It is my nature, if you will.

That said, there are people with legitimate gripes against the Order.

There are sisters who were, in their opinions, abused by people still serving in the Order. Decisions made by people that left us looking really stupid over legal issues with felons when we should have known better as Magicians that we never acknowledged.

Guys, I mean come on. There are ugly incidents going on in smaller valleys internationally that are getting sugar-coated, and people know about it.

I don't want to air our dirty laundry, my fellow Order brothers and sisters, but frankly....

To pretend we are all awesome manifestations of the Hermetic Ideal all the time is just bullshit.

No one will believe it, especially when known Brothers of our Order are posting on our own Sisters' timelines about how they are passive-aggressively attacking masculinity and all males because they are sick of having to lie about having a boyfriend to get a guy to stop hitting on them.

No one will believe it when known Brothers of our Order are saying "we are biologically hardwired" to be assholes, and advising the Sisters to "deal with it" in spite of the admonishment of the friggin' book of the friggin' law to overcome and refine our natures to be better than that as human beings.

And honestly, the thing that pissed off the guy that brought it to me personally was the accusation that people in the O.T.O. don't shower, and live in their mom's basements*** and need to understand that getting laid is at times a function of hygiene, employment, and not living with your mom...

... when the actual person that inspired the conversation in the first place makes perfect sense of those statements in multiple ways.

So, if the criticisms of the people in the Order are legit, let's do something about it. Let's not get pissed that people ARE MAKING PUBLIC CRITICISMS that are actually legit, guys.

Let's instead GET RID OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THESE CRITICISMS POSSIBLE AND LEGIT.

Stand up for our sisters. Don't put up with douchebags. Stand against people invalidating the actual things people experience.

Tell people to shower, get a job, and pay their fucking dues.

You want to stand proud of the Order? Make it an honorable thing to stand proud of.

And if you're more concerned about the REPUTATION of the Order than you are concerned about the REALITY EXPERIENCED BY MEMBERS OF THE ORDER, I think you have some serious issues that will inevitably be addressed when you start taking the whole "Tiphareth" thing seriously.

It's BEAUTY for a reason. It is BEAUTY. It's not ugly. And when you taste the BEAUTY, you can't stand the ugly.

But if you can't handle friggin' Samekh, fine. Until you're ready for it, recognize that the criticisms we receive from people are actually goads to get us to move towards something better. Something useful for the intent of our Order. Something that gets us to recognize our faults, to overcome them, and to be better so we can demonstrate to the rest of these people on the planet the actual and material and spiritual value of the Law.

When someone levels an accusation at the O.T.O. that you find offensive, check it out.

  • Is it true personally? Do you do the thing they are saying?
  • Is it true in your lodge? Is anyone doing what they are saying locally?
  • Is it true in your Kingdom? Is anyone in your kingdom doing what they are saying in your country?

If it is not true, crush those motherfuckers. Destroy them utterly. Return them to the ash of the Grey Land that they arose from, make them a mockery, deride them in the market place, and humiliate the fuck out of them on all the social medias.

But if it is true in the slightest, purge the fuck out of that as soon as you can, with the full extent of your power, because if we are to succeed in this endeavor we've signed on to with oath after oath, then we cannot abide with it in any way, shape, or form.

And if we can't do that, my sisters and brothers, we have no right to pretend we are what we really are all about.

We're just the latest poseurs with indignant tendencies, and time will sweep us the fuck aside, as we rightly deserve.

Love is the law, love under Will.

* They're almost always guys, except for one person who I think is married to the awesome reincarnation of Crowley who happened to make a ring for Elvis while Crowley was still alive, but that's none of my business.

** There are so many Second Prophets, guys, and the ones that died in the 60s, 70s, and 80s were better than you, grow up, lookin' at you world teachers.

*** So at least one Thelemite who I think pretty highly of as a person lives in his mom's basement at the moment as a result of some actual HORSE SHIT he has had to deal with, and this is not necessarily an indictment of anyone who's going through shit, per se, and that's worth noting. Also, I totally lived in my parents' basement off and on til I was about 23-25, I can't remember because I was pretty stoned at the time.

2 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this. For me, it was very timely. Thanks, man.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "And if you're more concerned about the REPUTATION of the Order than you are concerned about the REALITY EXPERIENCED BY MEMBERS OF THE ORDER,"---you are headed down the same path that led the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church to cover up the rape of children in many places, at many times. And that led the parents of those children to buckle under and cooperate rather than standing up for their own flesh and blood. Not just religious or spiritual organizations either. Memoirs of Communist Party members will contain similar stories of misbehavior and crime being covered up because to reveal it would hurt the Party. Anytime you buy into the idea that the institution is more important than the members you are making paving blocks for the road to hell.

    ReplyDelete

The authors of Horns of Cerastes are happy to share their insights, opinions, and interests in all matters Thelema. Anything uncited is probably an informed opinion, but there are times when we have been known to just have fun. Do be careful, it might get on you. Also, all comments are moderated.